Most college basketball fans would agree that the transfer portal, along with paying athletes for the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) has changed the sport forever.

Not all that many years ago an athlete was required to sit out a full year if he, or she, transferred from one college to another, and paying money to athletes was most often associated with illegal booster donations or other unlawful actions that could result in NCAA sanctions.

Those days are long gone.

Since the men’s basketball transfer portal opened on April 7, more than 1,000 players have indicated their intent to find a new place to play basketball next season. College coaching staffs still travel countless miles on the recruiting trail and into the homes of top high school prospects, but a growing number of today’s top coaches depend on the transfer portal to restock their roster. Case in point: Michigan. The newly minted national champions became the first team in the history of the NCAA Tournament to win the title with five starters who transferred in from other schools.

For a third year in a row, the storied Kentucky Wildcats find themselves in a position to build nearly an entire roster via the transfer portal. In Mark Pope’s first two years as head coach, Kentucky has brought in nearly 20 new players, most of whom either graduate, or transfer, after one year.

But in these days where loyalty to a school and/or a fan base seems to hinge solely on playing time or spending dollars, there are still rare exceptions that invoke memories of days gone by.

Enter Trent Noah.

Social media announced Sunday that the Harlan County all-stater had decided to return for his junior year as a member of the Kentucky basketball team. In today’s world, only a select few players seem to embrace the importance or concept of loyalty. In Noah’s case, living the fulfillment of a childhood dream is more than enough.

The announcement of Noah’s return was met with mixed reactions on the various social media message boards, but Noah’s veteran presence, leadership skills and familiarity with Pope’s system heading into year three could pay big dividends for the program and the player.

Noah’s playing time was reduced to an average of about 10 minutes per game during his sophomore season, and the lack of consistent playing time also seemed to negatively affect his success rate as a perimeter shooter.

I watched several games this season where Trent’s desire and hustle at the defensive end of the court resulted in a key rebound or steal, many times leading to an assist. In the half-court, Noah moved with a purpose to key spots, but more times than not his teammates chose not to pass him the ball.

After starting three early-season games and putting up 16 points in a game last November against Tennessee Tech, Noah’s offensive production was limited for the balance of the season. He averaged just three points a game as a sophomore.

As a resident of Harlan County, I can honestly say that I was thrilled to learn of Noah’s decision, and I personally think that he could provide a pleasant surprise for Big Blue Nation next season. As a three-year player at UK he should be penciled in as a team captain and there are many examples over the years that the junior season is when a lot of players start to shine. This could be Trent’s year.

In addition to being a Kentucky kid living out a lifelong dream to play for the Wildcats, Noah’s loyalty to UK is woven into his DNA. His grandfather, Perky Bryant, played football at UK from 1961-63, and the family has attended Kentucky football games as season ticket holders since 1964.

Noah is a much better shooter than he showed this year, has a good basketball IQ and finds the loose ball. He has heart, plays with passion and conviction and clearly understands that the name on the front of the jersey is a heck of a lot more important than the one on the back.

With the loss of nearly all the key players from a 2025-26 team that was ousted in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky and Pope will once again lean heavily on the transfer portal in pursuit of national championship No. 9.

A requisite handful of players will end up enrolling at UK in the coming weeks, and talk – both positive and negative — will swirl on the social media message boards through the summer and into next season.

Regardless of who may soon be on their way to Lexington, it’s important to remember the following — Sometimes the best players you can get are the ones you already have.