Nebraska Basketball: What does Thomas Allen to transfer portal mean?

Nebraska basketball guard Thomas Allen announced he was putting his name into the transfer portal, but is there a chance he will stay with the Huskers?

During his sophomore season with Nebraska basketball, Thomas Allen put together a solid campaign and gave fans hope for next season if he and fellow starter Isaiah Roby both return.

However, after head coach Tim Miles was fired earlier this week, Allen decided to put his name into the transfer portal, which could mean that all five starters from this year’s Nebraska basketball team could be gone, along with the head coach.

The Omaha World-Herald reported that Allen had put his name into the transfer portal, citing a source inside the Nebraska basketball team.

The only good news that came from the report was that Allen apparently isn’t set on transferring, he just wants to have his name out there and then see what happens with the new head coach.

Essentially, it sounds like the new guy will have to recruit Allen and also Roby to stay, along with the normal recruiting that comes along with being a college basketball head coach.

Allen started 25 games this season for Nebraska and averaged 8.7 points per game to go along with 2.8 rebounds and two assists. With Glynn Watson Jr. graduating, Allen would likely be the primary ball handler next season if he is still around. He has also shot better than 35 percent from 3-point range in each of his first two seasons.

While next season was always going to be more of a building year for Nebraska, if Allen and Roby depart with Watson, James Palmer and Isaac Copeland, the Huskers are really going to have a tough time competing in the Big Ten, regardless of who the head coach is.

Nebraska may need to explore some transfers especially if there are some solid graduate or junior-college transfers available.

Of course, with more resources and a fancy, big-name head coach, Nebraska basketball should be able to build a strong program, one capable of reaching the NCAA tournament more consistently, as well as actually winning a tournament game for the first time ever.

However, with guys like Allen potentially leaving, it’s a reminder that the Huskers might be not as close on the hardwood as a lot of people think and that’s something to watch as Nebraska basketball tries to hire its next coach.