Notre Dame Star Freshman J.J. Starling Enters Transfer Portal amid March Madness

By | Bullscore 14 Mar, 2023

The end of the regular college basketball season brings the excitement of March Madness and 68 teams will be in action to win the National Championship title of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. However, the remaining 295 teams from the regular season which didn’t make it into the NCAA tournament have already begun the planning for the next year’s regular season.

Amid the March Madness, Notre Dame Basketball received huge setback news as their star freshman guard J.J. Starling announces to enter the transfer portal on Monday. With Starling gone it will be tough for Notre Dame to find a replacement for a former five-star recruit.

As a high school standout, Starling was rated as a five-star recruit, and his impressive freshman season at Notre Dame proved why. He started in 24 of the 28 games, averaging 11.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. Although he had a solid season, Starling’s shooting efficiency left something to be desired, with a 42.1% field goal percentage, 29.9% from beyond the arc, and 63.5% from the free-throw line.

Unfortunately, the team as a whole struggled, finishing with a disappointing 11-21 record and a 3-17 conference play mark, putting them in second-to-last place in the ACC. Despite the team’s struggles, Starling’s immense talent shone through, and it’s no surprise that he’s generating a lot of interest from top college basketball programs in the transfer portal. Throughout the season, he showcased his potential by scoring more than 20 points in three games, twice in ACC play.

Back in 2021, Starling chose Notre Dame over Syracuse, Duke, Northwestern, and Stanford. His decision was largely influenced by his strong relationship with head coach Mike Brey, who unfortunately retired after the season. With his talent and potential, any team that lands him will undoubtedly benefit greatly.