- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Ames Today
By the People, for the People
Cal's Leading Scorer Dai Dai Ames Plans to Enter Transfer Portal
The junior guard was a third-team All-ACC selection this past season.
Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:35pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The departure of star player Dai Dai Ames would leave a gaping hole in Cal's basketball lineup, forcing the team to rebuild around new talent.Ames TodayCal junior guard Dai Dai Ames, the team's leading scorer and a third-team All-ACC selection, plans to enter the transfer portal according to his agent. Ames had said after the season he expected to return to Cal, but now he will explore his options and potentially leave the program.
Why it matters
Ames was one of the key players Cal was hoping to retain as they looked to build on this past season's 22-12 record and NIT appearance. His departure would be a significant loss for the Bears as they try to improve and compete in the ACC.
The details
Ames averaged 16.9 points per game this past season, a significant increase from the 8.7 points he averaged the prior year at Virginia. He scored 20 or more points 12 times and had a season-high of 31 against Wake Forest. Ames was known as Cal's best one-on-one player, often getting to the basket with reverse dribbles.
- Ames plans to enter the transfer portal starting on April 7, the first day of the transfer window.
- The transfer portal window for men's college basketball closes on April 21.
The players
Dai Dai Ames
A junior guard who was Cal's leading scorer and a third-team All-ACC selection this past season.
Mark Madsen
The head coach of the Cal men's basketball team.
Justin Pippen
A sophomore guard for Cal who the team was also hoping to retain.
Andrej Stojakovic
A player who transferred from Cal to Illinois, where he helped the Fighting Illini reach the Final Four.
Jeremiah Wilkinson
A player who transferred from Cal to Georgia, where he led the Bulldogs in scoring and helped them reach the NCAA tournament.
What they’re saying
“Ames plans to 'test the waters' to see what kind of offers are out there, so theoretically Ames could withdraw from the portal and stay at Cal.”
— Joe Tipton, Reporter
“Cal has done well in its recent campaign to raise funds for NIL payments. The elite college basketball programs can offer a transfer a considerable amount of money to join their basketball programs.”
— Mark Madsen, Head Coach
What’s next
The transfer portal window for men's college basketball opens on April 7 and closes on April 21. It remains to be seen if Dai Dai Ames will ultimately decide to leave Cal or if he will withdraw from the portal and remain with the team.
The takeaway
Ames' potential departure is a significant blow for Cal as they try to build on this past season's success. The Bears have already lost other key players to the transfer portal in recent years, and now they face the prospect of losing their leading scorer as well. This highlights the challenges mid-major programs face in retaining top talent in the current landscape of college basketball.