Five local basketball players in the transfer portal
It’s portal season … but isn’t it always portal season?
Perhaps it feels that way, but this is an actual portal season for men’s college basketball players. And our hoopsters are on the move.
This week’s High Five looks at a handful of local players looking for a change of scenery.
5. Chris Hodges, Schaumburg
After four seasons at Wisconsin, Hodges announced earlier this month his intention to enter the transfer portal.
The 6-foot-9 forward, a 2021 Schaumburg graduate, struggled to produce off the bench for a Badgers team that often didn’t go more than seven deep. He never averaged more than two minutes a game in about a dozen appearances each season.
Hodges was a force for the Saxons. With more playing time somewhere else, he’ll look to regain that form.
4. Tsvet Sotirov, Rolling Meadows
The 6-9 forward, who spent a year at St. Louis University before playing his lone season at Northern Illinois University in 2024-25, announced his decision late last week.
Sotirov, a 2023 Rolling Meadows graduate, was solid this season. He averaged 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in about 21 minutes of court time per game.
The upside with Sotirov is clear. He had four double-digit scoring performances in his last seven games, including a season-high 17 against Eastern Michigan.
3. Kam Craft, Buffalo Grove
He left the area a year early, but Craft remains a memorable name.
Craft scored nearly 1,700 points in three seasons at Buffalo Grove before transferring in 2021 to a boarding school in Georgia to be part of a developmental basketball program for his senior season.
Craft, a 6-5 guard, struggled through injuries at Xavier before transferring to Miami of Ohio, where this season he averaged 13.6 points and 3 rebounds while starting all 34 games.
2. Bobby Durkin, Glenbard West
A sharpshooter from the Hilltoppers’ 2022 state championship team, Durkin entered the portal and announced his commitment last week.
After spending two season at Davidson, the 6-7 wing is headed to the University of Minnesota.
Durkin this season averaged 13.5 points while knocking down 91 3-pointers. He also averaged 5.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
1. Conor Enright, Mundelein
The 2021 Mundelein graduate spent three seasons at Drake before heading to DePaul for this season.
After entering the portal last month, it didn’t take long for Indiana University to scoop up the 6-2 guard.
Enright was a spark plug for the Blue Demons, averaging 7.5 points and 3.3 rebounds. He missed the end of the season with a shoulder injury.