Theoretically, UConn basketball coach Dan Hurley should have nothing to stress about. UConn is coming off of back-to-back titles after defeating Purdue 75-60 in the National Championship on April 8th. Yet, the decorated coach still looks “down bad,” as the kids say.

Hurley posted a funny photo Friday to describe his feelings on the transfer portal, via his X account.

While UConn did land Michigan center Tarris Reed Jr. in the portal, the program still has plenty of work to do. Reed will have big shoes to fill, as 7-foot-2 big man Donovan Clingan declared for the NBA Draft. The projected lottery pick has a chance to go first overall, which is a testament to his immense talent. It may take more than one player to replace the AP Honorable Mention All-American's production.

Reed is currently the Huskies' only incoming transfer, giving them the 59th-ranked transfer class, via 247 Sports. This is surprisingly low for the clear-cut best program in the game. What's causing UConn to lag behind?

NIL deals make the transfer portal a challenge for everyone, even UConn basketball

UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley and his players leave the State Capitol to start the teams NCAA Mens Basketball Championship victory parade.
© David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA has become nearly powerless in regards to regulating NIL deals, with some basketball and football players receiving millions of dollars to go to certain programs. This has completely changed the sport, and even the best teams in the nation aren't safe from getting lost in the shuffle of this “Wild West” dynamic. An anonymous coach ripped the NCAA for letting it get to this point, via Fox Sports' John Fanta.

“It's a (expletive) disaster. For us veteran coaches, this is not what we signed up for,” the coach said. “I am not mad at the kids one bit. They're seeking their value and earning money, and I think they should. It's your right to get paid. I would do the same thing that they're doing. Anybody mad at the kids is foolish.”

However, while it's good for student-athletes to finally get paid what they're worth, it's now almost impossible for programs to create long-term continuity.

“But shame on the NCAA for not seeing this coming years ago and being proactive,” he continued. “Not having a boundary or a system in place at all, having no regulations to even attempt to find a common playing field is a major miss.”

While the NCAA probably didn't anticipate this level of chaos, there may be no turning back at this point. Don't expect even the best schools to be able to maintain the same roster year-to-year.