With the transfer portal in the middle of the dead period, we explain what that is. We also discuss what the House V NCAA settlement hearing means for Kentucky and college basketball going forward.
For Kentucky basketball fans eagerly watching the transfer portal, things may seem unusually quiet right now — and for good reason. The NCAA’s dead period is in full effect, temporarily hitting the brakes on one major piece of the recruiting puzzle: in-person contact.
But don’t confuse “dead” with “inactive.”
What Is the NCAA Dead Period?
The NCAA dead period is the most restrictive recruiting window on the calendar. During this time, coaches are prohibited from any in-person contact with recruits or their families — that means no campus visits, no home visits, no meetings at schools, camps, or even chance encounters at the grocery store. It’s a hard stop on face-to-face interaction.
However, communication doesn’t stop entirely. Coaches can still connect with players via phone calls, FaceTime, text messages, social media, and other digital platforms. So when you see Mark Pope on a FaceTime call with a potential transfer, now you know why — it’s the only method currently allowed.
The dead period will lift on April 10, opening the door again for official visits, in-home meetings, and live evaluation. Until then, coaches are relying on technology to keep relationships alive and moving forward.
The House v. NCAA Ruling Looms
Adding to the complexity of this recruiting cycle is the looming House v. NCAA settlement, with a pivotal court date set for Monday. The final approval of this case could significantly reshape the NIL landscape, especially for high-major programs like Kentucky.
If the settlement is approved, any NIL agreements that include payments after June 30 will be subject to review by a new Deloitte-run NIL clearinghouse. That uncertainty has already impacted the way coaches, agents, and players are navigating the current portal window. Some rumblings have even said Mitch Barnhart is trying to wait until after the deadline, though there has been no real inside information on that.
Many schools are reportedly trying to finalize NIL deals before July 1, fearing the rules may shift dramatically once the settlement goes through. Some programs are even committing multi-million dollar packages that exceed the proposed revenue-sharing cap — all in an effort to lock in talent now before the market potentially changes.
So What Does This Mean for Kentucky?
For Mark Pope and Kentucky, this moment is about laying groundwork. FaceTime calls and Zoom meetings might not carry the same weight as an in-home visit or a campus tour, but they still allow Pope and his staff to evaluate, connect, and recruit. Once the dead period ends on April 10, the pace is expected to pick up significantly.
The NIL settlement is a little trickier, there is no way to know until after Monday. It could be great or it could change the way collectives have been working and reshape college basketball yet again. The only thing BBN can do is just wait and see.
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