Star Harvard Guard Malik Mack Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Harvard men’s basketball guard Malik Mack entered the NCAA transfer portal Tuesday morning, according to a person familiar with the situation.

While the decision to enter the portal does not mean that Mack will definitely choose to leave Harvard, it comes after months of speculation that the standout freshman guard will look to a program in a bigger conference that embraces NIL payments, where he could likely make six figures.

Mack did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. A spokesperson for Harvard athletics also did not respond to a comment request.

Mack averaged 17.2 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game in his first season of collegiate basketball, placing him third in the nation in points-per-game amongst freshmen.

The Maryland native earned Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors earlier this month after bringing home the Ivy League “Rookie of the Week” award eight times this season. Mack was also nominated to the Lou Henson Award Midseason Watch List in early January.

Harvard’s season was cut short after finishing fifth in the Ivy League, just outside of the qualification spots for Ivy Madness and a chance to compete for the league’s automatic qualifying bid to March Madness.

If Mack decides to leave Harvard, it would be a devastating blow for the Crimson. The freshman was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week eight times this season and was a key contributor to several Crimson victories.

Mack chose to commit to Harvard in fall 2022 over offers from the University of Mississippi, Rhode Island, Rice, Saint Peter’s, and a plethora of other programs, citing his relationship with Head Coach Tommy Amaker.

But his departure would raise more questions about Harvard’s reluctance to form an NIL collective to compensate some of the University’s star athletes, like Mack.

Harvard forward Justice Ajogbor also entered the transfer portal in early March as a grad transfer. Ajogbor averaged 8.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in 20 games this season.

—Staff writer Alexander K. Bell can be reached at alexander.bell@thecrimson.com.