"Makes 0 sense," "Smart decision": College hoops fans react to Alabama's Rylan Griffen entering transfer portal despite Crimson Tide's historic season

The transfer portal continues to heat up as more names join the queue to move out with the NCAA Tournament coming to a close.

A name that was a true shocker for fans and pundits alike was Rylan Griffen of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The guard who was instrumental in a historic season for the Crimson Tide which included their first Final Four appearance in nearly 40 years, decided to join the transfer portal and sent the college basketball world into a frenzy.

Immediately, debates ran supreme over whether the decision was a good one for the youngster. One fan aired the immediate thought on everyone's mind, questioning the decision given the context of the season:

"Makes 0 sense. Just had a great season at Bama, made the final 4 played a big role in it. Why leave?", one fan was flabbergasted by the decision.

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For Alabama fans in particular, the decision was surprising, to say the least, given the comments Griffen had made about the program and head coach Nate Oats in particular.

"Cant say i expected this as a bama fan, go be great", one fan aired his confusion.

One fan agreed with the sentiments of surprise, claiming that the Rylan Griffen addition was the "most surprising" one yet:

"Gotta be the most surprising addition yet."

A section of the fanbase even turned against Rylan, claiming that his decision was selfish and proof that he wasn't loyal:

"No loyalty...U started...and played Hugeeeeee roles!!! Ion understand and u truly wanna know why", one fan accused Griffin.

Some Alabama fans, however, could not understand the decision. For many, his incredible love for the program, and especially Coach Oats had made him a true fan favorite:

"This blows he was my fav", one fan expressed his disappointment.

On the other hand of the spectrum were those who thought the decision was extremely smart, given the NIL money that could be in play elsewhere for Rylan Griffen:

"Smart decision young man" and "VERY smart decision young man!!" flooded the comments section for those who thought Rylan was making the right choice.

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NIL money seems to be a popular consensus:

"Wants more NIL money...might as well go find it", one fan conceded.

The University of Kentucky opening up its head coaching job led to a lot of coaches' names being linked to it including Nate Oats.

Before his decision to stay with the Crimson Tide was announced officially, fans had spent time wondering if his possible departure prompted Griffen's decision:

"I understand. You played for the coach and now he's gone. Go be great. Much love." One fan could understand the player-coach bond.

Some fans wondered if he thought he would continue his associate with Oats at Kentucky:

"He was hoping to follow his coach to UK. Now he’ll be playing under Mark Pope at UK." One fan joked.

Rylan Griffen and Nate Oats: A Rare Bond

Before the news broke, Rylan Griffen had been a poster child for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

During an interview session after Alabama clinched its historic Final Four spot in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Rylan Griffen paid major compliments to his coach:

"He the GOAT in my opinion. You know, he hasn’t got a Natty yet but trust me, he will get a Natty, eventually ... Everybody gonna think its a hot take but in my opinion, he's the GOAT. A lot of great coaches out there but in my opinion he's just unique. He finds a way to win every level he's been at."

Their partnership might be coming to an end after his decision, with teams like Kentucky vying for the player's services next year.

Where do you think Rylan Griffen will end up next season? Let us know in the comments section below.