If indeed Vermont's Four McGlynn has requested his release and intends to transfer as his former AAU team tweeted on Wednesday, then it's likely his decision caught members of the Catamounts coaching staff by surprise.
Only two weeks ago, Vermont coach John Becker spoke glowingly of McGlynn in a phone conversation with me, describing the high-scoring sophomore-to-be as one of keys to the Catamounts' quest to contend for the America East title.
McGlynn, the America East's rookie of the year last season, sank 38 percent of his threes and led the Catamounts in scoring at 12.0 points per game despite coming off the bench. The 6-foot-2 guard had 14 points in the America East title game against regular season champ Stony Brook and 18 in a First Four NCAA tournament victory over Lamar.
Becker did not immediately return a message seeking confirmation that McGlynn intends to leave Vermont, but all indications are that he'll transfer. McGlynn even retweeted someone Wednesday morning who wrote he was leaving Vermont.
It's difficult to speculate on McGlynn's incentive for seeking his release, but the most likely explanation is that he wants to play at a more high-profile program. Playing time almost certainly was not the issue since he played starter's minutes as a sixth man last season and would have likely cracked the lineup next year.
The timing of McGlynn's decision is unusual since most players announced their intent to transfer months ago, but there will probably be interest in McGlynn from teams with a scholarship available. McGlynn's lack of size and athleticism make his defense a concern at a higher level, but his perimeter shooting ability is an asset.
Not having McGlynn would be a significant blow to a Vermont backcourt that suddenly isn't as deep as expected. The Catamounts would need some of their newcomers to make the same immediate impact McGlynn did last season to help make up for his absence.