By Thad Novak
Just because college basketball doesn’t have trades or free agency does not mean the offseason is even remotely quiet. Players and coaches still change addresses (or stay put) and eligibility concerns stir the pot even further.
July’s most surprising news came from Indianapolis, where Butler coach Brad Stevens announced his unexpected departure for the NBA. Now the Bulldogs face a move to the new Big East without their celebrated bench boss around to run the show.
Read on for more on Butler’s unexpected plight, along with 19 more of the highest-impact changes of the summer in college hoops.
20. Tennessee’s Life No Longer Golden
With Jeronne Maymon and Jarnell Stokes up front and high-scoring Jordan McRae on the perimeter, Tennessee has a lot of the pieces in place to make an NCAA tournament push this season.
However, the Vols also lost a vital component of their postseason hopes when Trae Golden transferred to Georgia Tech.
Golden’s decision appears to have been motivated by a combination of academic issues and the need to be closer to his father, who’s battling health problems.
The senior playmaker isn’t enough of a game-changer to make the Yellow Jackets a contender, but as the Vols’ only experienced point guard, he makes Tennessee’s road a lot more difficult by his absence.