How the Transfer Portal and NIL Are Redefining the Big Man Role in College Basketball (2025 Offseason Update)

🏀 The Big Man Resurgence in the 2025 College Basketball Offseason

The 2025 college basketball offseason has highlighted a major shift in how teams value the Big Man position. With the 2024–25 season officially concluded, the NCAA transfer portal is overflowing with talent—particularly from frontcourt players—while Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals are influencing key recruitment and retention decisions.

Teams across the country are increasingly prioritizing versatile big men who can stretch the floor, defend multiple positions, and contribute immediately on both ends.

🔁 Key Big Man Transfer Portal additions After the 2024–25 Season

The 2025 transfer portal has already seen several high-profile college basketball big men switch programs:

1. Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB → Michigan)

Lendeborg averaged 17.7 PPG, 11.4 RPG, and 4.2 APG, becoming only the second player in NCAA history (after Larry Bird) to surpass 600 points, 400 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single season. His move to Michigan demonstrates how power conference teams are aggressively targeting productive bigs.

2. Aday Mara (UCLA → Michigan)

The 7'3" Spanish phenom brings elite size and FIBA experience to the Wolverines, where he’s expected to bolster their interior defense and rim protection.

3. Pharrel Payne (Minnesota → Texas A&M)

Payne made headlines with a 25-point, 10-rebound performance in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and brings an athletic inside presence to the SEC.

These moves reflect the increasing importance of experienced and skilled frontcourt players in the high-stakes world of Power 5 college basketball.

💰 NIL Impact: Why Big Men Are Winning in the NIL Era

NIL deals are no longer just a bonus—they’re a major factor in why players choose to stay in college or transfer. While full NIL contract details are still emerging post-2024–25 season, big men are proving highly marketable.

Why Big Men Thrive in NIL:

• Marketable size and visibility: Dominant bigs like Zach Edey have led all male athletes in NIL sales in prior years.

• Immediate production: Frontcourt players can post double-doubles regularly, boosting both on-court value and brand recognition.

• High-impact roles: Big men often play central roles in offensive and defensive systems, increasing TV exposure.

Programs with strong NIL infrastructure are now leveraging financial packages to secure top-tier big men in the portal, making the frontcourt arms race as much about boosters as basketball.

🧠 How the Big Man Role Has Evolved in Modern College Basketball

Today’s top big men aren’t just traditional post players—they’re expected to be multi-skilled athletes:

• Stretch 5s & Shooting Bigs: Programs want bigs who can shoot from the perimeter and space the floor.

• Switchable Defenders: Elite programs seek bigs who can guard wings and pick-and-rolls.

• Playmakers & Facilitators: Versatility on offense is key; high assist numbers are no longer just for guards.

This shift in role expectation has created a premium on hybrid bigs, who can do a bit of everything—and that’s where many of the top portal names come in.

🔮 What This Means for the 2025–26 NCAA Basketball Season

Expect continued dominance from transfer big men and even more aggressive recruiting around them. Frontcourt players are:

• Transferring for bigger roles

• Signing major NIL deals

• Making instant postseason impacts

As the arms race between major programs intensifies, the Big Man market is only expected to grow more competitive.

🔑 Final Thoughts: Big Men Are the Big Winners

Between their on-court impact, NIL earning potential, and transfer value, the modern big man is experiencing a renaissance in college hoops. The 2025 offseason confirms it: if you have a dominant big, you have a shot at winning big.