As most teams have already seen their college basketball season come to a close, there’s an influx of players entering the transfer portal. It’s also the time of the year that players look to head for potentially greener pastures after their head coach has accepted another position elsewhere.
That appears to be the case with Northwestern State’s Hansel Enmanuel, who informed On3 Sports of his intention to enter the transfer portal on Monday.
Enmanuel, a one-armed sensation that has taken the college basketball world by storm, had offers from schools such as Memphis, Tennessee State and Bethune-Cookman coming out of high school. In his lone season at Northwestern State, Enmanuel averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 8.2 minutes/per game.
His decision to enter the portal comes nearly a week after his now-former head coach, Corey Gipson, elected to take the same position at Austin-Peay. Gipson previously served as an assistant at his alma mater, where he played from 2002-04.
Enmanuel, who helped Northwestern State to a 22-11 record, talked with On3 Sports about his decision to leave the program, which enjoyed a massive turnaround in 2022-23:
“One important lesson that I have learned in my life as a student-athlete is the value of patience. Success cannot be achieved overnight, and it is common to experience frustration and disappointment along the way. Sometimes, we may feel entitled to something we desire and have worked hard for, only to realize that we are not ready to receive it at the moment. However, through patience, we can persevere and reach our goals.
“As I enter the transfer portal, I am reminded of the power of patience. I am willing to wait and trust the process, even if it means waiting an entire season to achieve my goals. I am grateful for my family, my teammates, my agency, and especially my coaches and trainers who have supported me and guided me along the right path. I thank God for giving me the wisdom and strength to stay patient and to trust that everything happens for a reason.”
We’ll have to see if Enmanuel ultimately follows Gipson to Austin-Peay or if he chooses to continue his career elsewhere.
[On3 Sports, Rivals]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.