Gonna steal a line from my colleague Dana O’Neil for this one:
Pretty certain the basketball transfer portal is not practicing appropriate social distancing.
— Dana O'Neil (@DanaONeilWriter) March 25, 2020
Yeah, definitely not. College basketball may be on pause like the rest of the sports universe, but apparently the transfer portal didn’t get that memo. Instead, we’ve had a rapid-fire run through the portal, and hundreds of talents are waiting to find their new homes.
That includes Trey Wertz, who just finished his sophomore season at Santa Clara. A 6-foot-4 guard from Charlotte, N.C., Wertz averaged 11.9 points, 3.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this year. And another impressive note: He knocked down 40 percent of his 3-pointers.
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Understandably, as soon as Wertz put his name in the portal Tuesday afternoon, his phone blew up with calls from major Division I schools. In 24 hours, more than two dozen coaching staffs had made contact. Among the interested? A bevy of ACC darlings, reportedly: Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Florida State and more. On Wednesday, Wertz spent a few minutes chatting with The Athletic about who he has heard from, what he’s looking for in a new school, and how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the transfer process.
So how have you been working out since the end of the season with all the COVID-19 restrictions in place?
I was going to take some time off after the season, so I’m still kind of in that period. So I haven’t really had to worry about the workout piece yet, but as time goes on, I’ll definitely have to figure something out.
Is there a park nearby or someplace you can go?
One of my good friends, he has the key to his high school gym. So as long as we stay out of people’s eyesight and stuff, I think we should be OK.
How have coaches been reaching out to you? And how has this process been?
I’ve done a couple Facetime calls, but most of it has been just regular phone calls.
It’s been hectic (laughs). I put my name in the portal around 12:30 (Tuesday), and my phone was ringing nonstop since then. And even starting this morning again. So it’s been kind of hectic, but I’m just trying to take it all in, just try to hear everybody’s side of it, and as it settles down a little bit here in the next week or so, I’ll be able to think about it a little more and do my research. And then I know I’m gonna have to cut it down at some point or else it’s just gonna stay crazy.
So what are you looking for in a school? What’s important to you?
Yeah, obviously the academic portion is big for me. I was on pace to graduate at Santa Clara next year, so I just want to make sure the academic piece is still there so I’m still able to do that. And, of course, I’m going to be at the school for two to three years, so that master’s degree is gonna be important for me as well.
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On the basketball side, it’s really just finding the best fit. I’m not looking necessarily to come back closer to home, or even stay out west — I’m just looking for the best situation for me.
Did you like it out west? It feels like you’re in a different country sometimes.
Yeah, I did. It’s definitely a little different, but I liked it.
Which schools have you heard from?
So the ones who have officially offered are Arizona, N.C. State, UNC-Charlotte and Appalachian State. But I’ve been in contact, though, with probably 30 or so schools. All in 24 hours.
And how many of them recruited you out of high school?
I would probably say a little less than half. Some of them were kind of like some of those mid-major schools where kids aren’t really leaving as often, so they don’t have the spots and stuff like that.
How different has this process been because of the spread of coronavirus? You’re not able to visit schools, not able to shake a coach’s hand …
I mean, I was going to take my time with it anyways, but it’s definitely a little different since we don’t know when we’ll be able to visit. Because if possible, I would like to visit the school. But I know it may come to a point where I have to make a decision without that.
You mentioned wanting to earn your master’s degree. Does that mean you plan on applying for a transfer waiver, or sitting a season?
That’s still kind of up in the air. So the NCAA was going through a process of talking about the one-time transfer rule where we didn’t have to sit out, but with this whole virus thing, I’m sure they have a lot on their plate right now. For me, I’d be fine either way, if I get the waiver or not.
Back to basketball: For people not familiar with you, how would you describe your game?
Just a person who can really shoot the ball. I can score for myself and make plays, not only for myself but for others. Just someone who loves to win and hates to lose, really.
(Photo of Trey Wertz: Cody Glenn / USA Today Sports)