Acing transfer portal isn’t as easy as St. John’s makes it seem

Frequently of late, St. John’s detractors have reminded me of the program’s high Name, Image & Likeness payroll as a reason for its memorable season.

It is believed to be among the highest in the Big East, although not in the stratosphere of the country’s financial titans.

There is a problem with that argument, however: Transfer portal success doesn’t necessarily equate to on-court results. It has for St. John’s, which had a transfer haul ranked fourth in the country by 247 Sports.

But several other schools who were thought to have killed it in the spring have struggled this year.