CLEVELAND, Ohio — The 2025 college basketball transfer portal is opening Monday, one week earlier than it did last year.

Although he doesn’t agree with the timing, New Mexico men’s basketball head coach Richard Pitino says he already knows what they need to do.

“I think the main message is that the portal opening on Monday is the dumbest thing ever,” Pitino said Saturday as his No. 10 seeded Lobos prepared for Sunday’s second-round NCAA Tournament game against No. 2 Michigan State. “There’s no logic behind it whatsoever. Why not do it in April, because school doesn’t end until mid-May, so give them a month then.

“In this day and age, there’s not a lot of time to stop and catch your breath. Transfer portal is opening Monday, and I say it all the time, we jump in that transfer portal knowing what we need to do.”

The first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament will already be complete by the time the portal opens. Several teams will already be eliminated.

Pitino also said that despite search firms and other teams looking forward to the portal opening, he would love to see it pushed back.

“Some people jump in that transfer portal with their eyes closed and they’re Marco Polo,” he said. “We’re not going in there to play Marco Polo. We’re going in to get the right and talented guys that fit us.”

New Mexico’s current roster includes starters who came from the transfer portal in 2023, like Nelly Junior Joseph, who spent three years at Iona playing for Pitino’s father and current St. John head coach Rick Pitino.

Mustapha Amzil transferred after spending three seasons at Dayton and CJ Noland, a key reserve, had two seasons at Oklahoma and one at North Texas.

The Lobos' roster also has players from Serbia, Finland, Nigeria, Tanzania and Guinea.

“It feels like the United Nations in there from time to time.” Pitino said. “But it makes it fun.”