Wisconsin DB Xavier Lucas reportedly joining Miami without entering transfer portal
Wisconsin defensive back Xavier Lucas is joining Miami in what could be a move with massive implications.
According to a report from Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, Lucas is leaving for Miami despite signing a revenue-sharing contract with UW and despite not officially entering the transfer portal. Lucas’s attorney, Darren Heitner, confirmed the decision to Yahoo Sports on Friday.
Lucas withdrew from classes at Wisconsin and enrolled academically at Miami, according to Dellenger. He requested to enter the portal during the winter window but Wisconsin refused to officially allow him to leave. Lucas and his family reached out to Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell for help, but Fickell attempted to convince Lucas to remain in Madison, according to Dellenger.
Prior to requesting a transfer, Lucas signed a 2-year agreement with Wisconsin that granted UW his non-exclusive rights to use and market his name, image, and likeness, according to Dellenger. That agreement is said to prohibit the player’s rights to be used by any other school while permitting him or her to sign outside marketing agreements.
However, such agreements are contingent on the settlement in the House v. NCAA antitrust case being approved later this spring.
After signing that agreement, Heitner says Lucas learned that his father suffered a “serious, life-threatening illness.” Lucas requested to enter the transfer portal and Wisconsin refused to follow NCAA protocol that requires schools to comply with transfer requests by submitting their name to the portal within 2 business days.
Other schools are not permitted to make contact with players who are not officially in the transfer portal. However, in a statement provided to Yahoo Sports on Friday regarding the situation, the NCAA gave what amounted to a literal shrug.
“NCAA rules do not prevent a student-athlete from unenrolling from an institution, enrolling at a new institution and competing immediately,” an NCAA spokesperson told Yahoo Sports.
Breaking the agreement with Wisconsin could trigger litigation against Lucas and/or Miami, according to Dellenger.
Dellenger also reported that Heitner planned to file an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA and Wisconsin, accusing the school of violating NCAA rules regarding transfers and calling into question the legality of the transfer portal. Lucas enrolled at Miami but didn’t formally sign with Miami, according to Dellenger, a distinction that saves him from NCAA transfer restrictions and, potentially, litigation.
Lucas will be a second-year man during the 2025 season. He signed with