The transfer portal for men’s and women’s NCAA Division I basketball opened on March 18.
Since then, two Panthers from the men’s team have put their names in the transfer portal.
1. Sincere Malone
The sophomore forward from Chicago publicly announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on Instagram March 25.
Malone entered the transfer portal with two years of eligibility.
While at Eastern for two years, Malone recorded 234 points, 192 rebounds, 61 steals, 45 assists and 16 blocks.
As of Sunday, Malone has not committed to a new school.
2. Jaylin Gibson
The junior guard from Evanston publicly announced his decision to enter the transfer portal with one year left of eligibility on Instagram April 3.
Gibson transferred into Eastern for the 2023-2024 season. Gibson recorded 76 points, 60 rebounds, 40 assists, 13 steals and two blocks during the season.
Gibson has yet to commit to another school.
Both Malone and Gibson helped the Panthers end the 2023-2024 season with a 14-18 record and secure a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament for the first time in five years.
At the end of the 2022-2023 season, eight players entered the transfer portal, including Malone.
Ultimately, Malone decided to come back to Eastern to play another year.
After the 2023-2024 season, the team has a few players who are still unsure of their status of staying or entering the transfer portal.
As of Sunday, 10 players from the OVC have entered into the transfer portal.
University of Tennessee at Martin currently has the most players in the transfer portal with five.
At the moment, Eastern has two players entering the transfer portal. Tennessee State University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Morehead State University all have one player entering the transfer portal.
At the end of the 2022-2023 season, the OVC had 37 men’s basketball players transfer out of their respective programs.
Eastern had the most players leave the program that year with seven: CJ Lane, Paul Bizimana, Cameron Haffner, Kinyon Hodges, Nick Ellington, Kyle Carlesimo and Kyle Thomas.
Lindenwood University, Morehead State, Southeast Missouri State University and SIUE all had five players leave their respective programs.
Tennessee Tech University and UT Martin each had four players leave, and Tennessee State had two players leave their respective programs.
Because collegiate basketball is considered a winter sport in the NCAA, athletes that play a winter sport that enter the transfer portal have a 60-day transfer window, as it begins with the given sport’s championship selection.
The transfer portal closes May 1.
Zaria Flippin can be reached at 581-2812 or zhflippin@eiu.edu.
