The transfer portal has changed college basketball forever. It's become almost like a free agency for college athletes with them having more control over their future. There are many different arguments in favor of and against the portal but one thing is for sure, it's made college basketball very interesting. The Arkansas Razorbacks made a big transfer portal acquisition in former Louisville guard El Ellis. It wasn't always a certainty that he would suit up for the Razorbacks though as El Ellis had declared for the NBA draft simultaneously. He made the decision though that he would withdraw from the draft and finish his final season of college eligibility as per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.
Arkansas' El Ellis tells me that he's withdrawing from the 2023 NBA Draft and will return to school next season. Transfer from Louisville.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 27, 2023
El Ellis was one of the top players in the transfer portal as he declared for the NBA draft. His pathway to college basketball was an unconventional one as he played two seasons at Tallahassee Community College before transferring to Louisville. He played two seasons at Louisville and was one of their lone bright spots in a what was a humiliating season.
Last season, Ellis averaged a career-best 17.7 points per game, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.0 steals with splits of 41 percent shooting from the field, 31.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and 81 percent shooting from the free-throw line. Ellis had one year of college eligibility remaining due to his COVID year.
Ellis' decision to transfer to Arkansas was a little surprising in that he had previously stated he did not envision himself playing at any other school than Louisville.
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