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Shaka Smart is different from other coaches, and Marquette is better off because of it

In Shaka Smart’s two years as the Marquette men’s basketball head coach, he has only brought in a few players through the transfer portal.

Rather than going portaling, he relies on smart recruiting and developing from within.

Under Smart, Marquette has yielded successful seasons, including a Big East Tournament and regular-season title as well as its highest March Madness seeding in school history. Smart’s strategy of not relying on the transfer portal is successful and why Marquette seems to have an edge over rival teams in recent years.

In 2021, The NCAA changed its rules and allowed student-athletes to move schools at least once without penalty.