Former Badger Xavier Amos finds a new home—back home

Former Wisconsin forward Xavier Amos entered the transfer portal last week, and he's already landed at a new home. That new home is really back home for him. Amos grew up a Chicago kid going to Whitney Young High School just blocks away from the Michael Jordan statue out front of the United Center. He is now headed to the north side of Chicago to play for Loyola Chicago. It's a new home, but it's back home.

Former Wisconsin forward Xavier Amos has transferred to Loyola Chicago

Xavier Amos started his career at Northern Illinois University, where he spent his freshman and sophomore years. He came to the Badgers in his junior year and was a quality depth piece for Greg Gard and the Badgers. He was pivotal in their Big Ten tournament run. However, with a desire to see more than just role-player minutes, he decided to move along.

Going home only sweetened the transfer for Amos. He can now get starter minutes in a fit that seems to suit him and do it in his hometown. That's how the transfer portal works best. A senior looking for one more chance and the ability to be a starter, heads into the portal, only to find himself in his hometown playing in front of friends and family.

This was the only portal subtraction that stings, as Amos was so helpful off the bench, but it also wasn't shocking to see him move along. He only has one more year to play college basketball, and it doesn't seem like he wants another year of averaging 9.7 minutes a game. Especially because when he came from Northern Illinois, he was a starter and played 30.9 minutes a game. It was quite a reduction for him on the Badgers' squad. Now he gets the chance he was looking for at Loyola-Chicago.