UMBC guard Darnell Rogers, believed to be the shortest scholarship player in Division I basketball history, has entered the transfer portal, he told ESPN on Monday.
Rogers, who is 5-foot-2, started all 20 games for UMBC this past season. He played seven games last season before suffering a hamstring injury and then battling leg, abductor and groin injuries. Rogers ultimately took a medical redshirt season, leaving him with potentially two years remaining at his next school due to the NCAA granting every winter sport student-athlete an additional year of eligibility.
He started his career at Florida Gulf Coast before spending a season at New Mexico Junior College and then transferring to UMBC.
This past season, Rogers averaged 9.8 points and shot 40% from 3-point range, helping lead the Retrievers to a share of the America East regular-season title. They were upset by UMass Lowell in the semifinals of the conference tournament on Saturday.
“I’ve played with everybody, played against everybody,” Rogers told ESPN last season. “I always felt like I played better than my matchup. I’ve played against 6-5 guards, smaller guards. I’ve just always been able to hold my own. I never got bullied or anything. Nobody blocks my shot when I shoot; I can finish at the rim at my size. … I belong, and I can play.”
Rogers is able to withdraw his name from the transfer portal if he decides to return to UMBC.