Maryland sophomore guard Serrel Smith Jr. enters transfer portal

Maryland men’s basketball lost another player to the transfer portal Tuesday when guard Serrel Smith Jr. announced he would be departing the program.

“I want to thank Maryland and Coach Turgeon for these past two years - they have been nothing but amazing,” Smith Jr. said in a statement. “My time at Maryland was filled with memories and relationships that I will always cherish! After careful consideration, I have decided to enter my name in the NCAA transfer portal and explore my options.”

Smith spent his sophomore season as a reserve guard off the bench, but there were stretches where he lost his minutes to Hakim Hart. Smith appeared in only 27 games last season, scoring 1.8 points per game on 25 percent shooting.

Smith joins Ricky Lindo Jr. and Joshua Tomaic as the third player to transfer out of the program this offseason. Maryland has three open scholarships for the upcoming season.

“Serrel did everything we asked of him the last two years and we are appreciative of his contributions to the program,” said head coach Mark Turgeon. “He was a great person to coach and a great teammate who helped lead us to a Big Ten Championship. We wish him nothing the best.”

With the return of wings Aaron Wiggins and Darryl Morsell and the addition of Boston College transfer Jairus Hamilton, Smith would likely have been in a similar spot in terms of minutes. His departure opens the door for more time for Hart or incoming freshman Marcus Dockery.