College Basketball
Boogie Fland Transfer Portal: Florida Overtakes UNC & Kentucky As Top Destination
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Boogie Fland has entered the NCAA transfer portal while also declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft. This gives him flexibility—he can stay in the draft, return to Arkansas, or find a new home if he stays in college. The “Do Not ” tag signals he’s leaning toward turning pro, but he’s leaving the door open in case the draft isn’t what he wants.
Fland played 21 games (18 starts) as a freshman at Arkansas, averaging 13.5 points and 5.1 assists per game. He missed time with a thumb injury but returned late in the season and played in the NCAA Tournament. His flashes of playmaking and scoring at all three levels have kept him on the radar for scouts, with some late first-round projections.
Find out which teams are interested in acquiring Fland if he returns to college and how much the former five-star recruit could earn if he decides to pull his name out of the NBA Draft.
Florida Emerges As Top Destination, Per Report
According to Arkansas insider Bo Mattingly, Florida has been linked to Fland if he decides to withdraw from the NBA Draft. Mattingly also revealed that his sources believe Fland could earn between $5 million and $7 million, depending on his destination. That would instantly make him one of the highest-paid players in college basketball.
While Florida might not have that kind of money to allocate to its roster, they have been rumored to be after several of the top guards remaining in the transfer portal. The Gators were linked to former USC guard Desmond Claude, but Joe Tipton recently revealed that Florida is no longer in the running, which could open up room for Fland to come to Gainesville and start alongside Xaivian Lee.
Tar Heels Remain Patient In Chase For Boogie Fland
UNC is viewed as one of the most likely landing spots if Fland comes back to school. They recruited him heavily out of high school and were considered frontrunners before Calipari swayed him to the Razorbacks. With Elliot Cadeau now at Michigan, the path is wide open for Fland to run the point in Chapel Hill.
UNC has a glaring hole at lead guard. R.J. Davis is gone. Cadeau is gone. The Tar Heels have wings and size but need someone to initiate offense. Fland fits that profile and would walk into a featured role.
The offense under Hubert Davis gives guards freedom, which could appeal if Fland is trying to boost his draft stock. Meanwhile, Drake Powell’s departure could also leave some additional NIL money to help sweeten the deal.
Kentucky Is Still In The Hunt For Boogie Fland
Few teams have the NIL money to compete with Kentucky and the Wildcats are reportedly ready to spend as much $20 million on their basketball roster. That puts them at the top of the list for several of the best remaining players in the college basketball transfer portal, including former Florida State guard Jamir Watkins.
Fland originally committed to Kentucky before following John Calipari to Arkansas. Now with Mark Pope leading the program, a return to Lexington is on the table. Pope is rebuilding the roster and still has space in the backcourt, depending on how the portal shakes out.
Kentucky still offers major NIL upside and national visibility. The new system is more guard-friendly, and Fland would have a shot to lead a young roster. It’s not as clean a fit as UNC, but there’s a comfort level from his original commitment and it wouldn’t be a surprise if UK gets involved if he pulls out of the draft.
Will Boogie Fland Stay in the NBA Draft?
As the NBA Draft draws closer, it appears more likely that Fland is at least considering a return to college basketball.
Sources close to the situation say Fland is “100% focused” on the draft for now. However, if the suggests he’s a second-rounder or a fringe pick, expect UNC and Kentucky to make serious pitches that could make Fland among the highest-paid players in the sport.
A return to Arkansas is almost certainly out of the question, as freshman Darius Acuff Jr. appears ready to take the reigns for the Hogs. This may have factored into Fland’s decision to enter the portal as a contingency plan.
For now, Florida, UNC, and Kentucky currently looks like the schools best positioned to land him if he comes back to college.
