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Mid-Major Basketball’s New Reality: Becoming a Launchpad for Power conference Stars
The lines between college basketball’s haves and have-nots are blurring, as mid-major programs increasingly function as stepping stones for players aspiring to reach the sport’s highest levels. A recent interaction between Tulane coach Ron Hunter and a peer from a major conference encapsulated this shift: the SEC coach openly acknowledged recruiting players from programs like Tulane, praising hunter’s ability to “get kids ready for our level.”
Hunter, who has seen several players transfer to elite programs – including former Duke star Sion James – was left unsure whether to take the comment as a compliment or a critique. His reaction highlights the complex position mid-major coaches now find themselves in, navigating a system where developing talent often means watching it depart for bigger brands. The trend is undeniable: three of last season’s AP All-Americans – Mark Sears (Alabama), Johni broome (auburn), and Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida) – were all mid-major transfers. Actually,60% of the first- and second-team All-american selections from high-major schools had previously started their careers at the mid-major level.
Once hesitant to accept their role as developmental leagues, more and more mid-major coaches are embracing the reality and leveraging it in recruiting. Thay are actively seeking players who see their program as a pathway to power-conference stardom. “I try not to be the last person selling cds out of the trunk of my car,” Wyoming coach Sundance Wicks said, illustrating the need to adapt to the changing landscape. “Nobody’s buying CDs anymore,so you can’t be the last person selling CDs out of your trunk to recruits or to families or to agents or to the players. You’ve got to get with the times.”
The impact of the transfer portal is stark. Fifteen players departed UAB after a successful 24-win season and an American Conference tournament championship game appearance. Among them was Yaxel Lendeborg, ranked as ESPN.com’s No. 3 transfer for the 2025-26 season, who ultimately chose Michigan. Rather than lamenting these losses, UAB coach Andy Kennedy has leaned into the narrative, presenting a PowerPoint to recruits that explicitly compares the potential earnings at UAB to the substantially larger paychecks awaiting them at high-major programs. His message is direct: spend a year or two in Birmingham, and then reap the financial rewards elsewhere.
“Adapt or die, bro,” Kennedy stated. “I’m old-school. But I also understand that I can be stubborn if I want to be and take a bunch of L’s and be frustrated for the rest of my life-or I can adapt to current circumstances and the limitations, from a financial standpoint, that you have at a non-Power 5 level.” He acknowledges the financial realities, adding, “We all ball on a budget. We can be mad about it or we can just try to do the best that we can to figure out what works for us.” Despite the challenges, Kennedy has maintained a high level of success at UAB, averaging 25 wins per season as 2020-21 and reaching the NCAA tournament twice.
Former Duke star Nolan Smith, now the coach at Tennessee State, understands the appeal of playing at a high-major program. He acknowledges that while he will sell recruits on the benefits of Tennessee State, he also recognizes the draw of experiences offered by larger schools. “I do not mind it at all,” Smith said. “As long as they buy into the [Tennessee State] culture and what we’re trying to build in the one year, two years that they’re here, I’m going to love ’em. And then when that time comes and [they] say, ‘Hey, Coach, I’d really love to go play in the ACC or SEC and I have an opportunity to go to one of those leagues and really see what it’s all about’… I’m going
