The Citadel Signs 30-Year-Old Out Of Transfer Portal

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The Citadel Signs 30-Year-Old Out Of Transfer Portal

Originally posted on College Sports Only
By Spencer Rozell | Last updated May 5, 2026 11:11 AM ET

The transfer portal is a truly wild place.

The transfer portal is a wild place. @CitadelHoops surely just pulled one of their most unique transfers.

He’ll be a 30-year-old junior.
A father.
A navy veteran.
He never played HS hoops. Went from military teams, to JUCO, to Green Bay to here.

Meet Mel Bethea. pic.twitter.com/FyfoQzVV5T

— Scott Eisberg (@SEisbergWCIV) May 4, 2026

The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina, signed 30-year-old Ramel Bethea to play basketball next season.

Bethea, who played his first season of college basketball for Green Bay last season, averaged 3.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 12 minutes per game.

He has the most unorthodox path of possibly any Division 1 basketball player.

pic.twitter.com/VC6AiG6Vb1

— Seeing (@scrolling67) May 5, 2026

At 30, Bethea is older than a large portion of the NBA. His unique route to Division 1 basketball led to a lot of online conversation.

Unc is older than half the NBA

— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) May 5, 2026

This guy is gonna catch some grief from his age but what an awesome story.

He left high school. Worked at Dunkin Doughnuts and a grocery store. Then said “nah this isn’t it”

He enlisted, now he is a U.S. Navy vet. He’s going to school and he’s balling.

I love it. https://t.co/xNvka65yRC pic.twitter.com/iRz8dvfoiF

— Harristotle (@Its_Harristotle) May 5, 2026