Report: BYU’s Connor Harding Enters NCAA Transfer Portal
Mar 29, 2021, 8:47 PM
BYU Basketball forward Connor Harding against the Portland Pilots. (BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey)
(BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey)
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball guard/forward Connor Harding has reportedly entered the Transfer Portal.
The report comes from Verbal Commits, who has been tracking the daily comings and goings with a busy Transfer Portal that has now exceeded 1,000 players. More than double the number of portal entrants from a year ago at this time.
Connor Harding has entered the Transfer Portal. Second #BYU player to enter. #BYUHoops https://t.co/pFuQdSlujL
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 30, 2021
Entrants into the NCAA’s Transfer Portal could return to the team that they are potentially leaving. Once into the Transfer Portal, a student-athlete loses their scholarship benefits at the end of the current semester.
Harding has been with the BYU basketball program the last three years after serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Atlanta, Georgia. A native of Pocatello, Idaho, he started in 26 games during his BYU career. Including the first 12 games of the 2020-21 season.
After a zero-point performance against No. 1 Gonzaga in The Kennel on January 7th, Harding took on a role from BYU’s bench. BYU head coach Mark Pope highlighted Harding’s willingness to embrace his new under difficult circumstances with a role change.
In BYU’s final game of the season against UCLA in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the 6-foot-6, 185-pound prospect played in 21 minutes of action in the Cougars setback to the Bruins.
Harding is the second BYU player this past week to enter the Transfer Portal. The other is guard Jesse Wade, who would qualify to be a graduate transfer for his next school that he ends up signing with.
Harding is married to BYU women’s basketball star Paisley Harding. BYU women’s head coach Jeff Judkins said after his team’s loss in the NCAA Tournament to Arizona last week, his entire roster planned to return. Seniors this year for winter NCAA sports have the opportunity to return for another year of eligibility.
In 26 games played, Harding averaged 5.4 points, 1.5 assists, and 2.6 rebounds during his junior season. With the COVID-19 waiver year of eligibility, Harding still has three years remaining to play two more seasons of college basketball.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m., KSL Newsradio). Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper and the KSL Sports app.
