Fred Hoiberg has been at Nebraska for five seasons now, and it took that long for the Huskers to find NCAA Tournament success under him. Rebuilding a program isn't always a fast process and can take time, and Hoiberg knew that. Now that Nebraska has that success, Hoiberg is determined to build upon it, but not just with money.
In this world of college sports, NIL is a big part of players picking where to go, and when it comes to the transfer portal, it certainly can sway decisions. For Hoiberg, he wants players to know that it isn't the only bargaining chip he is using.
Hoiberg is working to bring in solid talent from the transfer portal, but he is welling Nebraska, not just as a place to make some money because he knows bigger programs have better means to play players, but as a place where players can develop.
"The kid has to be in the right system in order to maximize their long-term potential."
— Hurrdat Sports (@HurrdatSports) April 7, 2026
Fred Hoiberg isn’t just recruiting from the portal with financial incentives; he’s pitching player development and a winning culture. pic.twitter.com/N1BwddsJ5A
Nebraska simply isn't going to be able to compete with schools like Michigan, Duke, and UNC financially when it comes to high school recruits and players out of the portal. Hoiberg can give guys an opportunity to be in the right system, though, and develop as great players who can raise their potential to earn more down the road.
It seems wrong that some players choose money over a place where they can be the best basketball players they can be, but Hoiberg is certainly going about this the right way. The brotherhood that Hoiberg built this season is a big reason for the success the Huskers had.
Hoiberg knows that building the right system around players is what can foster success, so even though he may not get the biggest names out of the portal, the Nebraska head coach is getting the right ones to fit with the Huskers.