Report: Utah G Ian Martinez Enters Transfer Portal

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah true freshman guard Ian Martinez has reportedly entered his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal on Tuesday.

Ian Martinez spent one season with the Utah basketball program, which was a free year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The JSerra Catholic High School product had a bright future at Utah and showed signs of brilliance late in the 2020-21 season.

He had a terrific game against USC in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament, scoring a career-high 18 points. Verbal Commits first reported the news of Martinez entering the portal.

Utah G Ian Martinez (FR) has entered the transfer portal. https://t.co/wgDFpNVHHp

— Verbal Commits (@VerbalCommits) April 6, 2021

In 25 games played this past season, Martinez averaged 5.2 points in 15.8 minutes per game. Coming out of high school, Martinez was a four-star recruit, leading JSerra to the CIF Southern Section semifinals.

His father Henry finished his second season as an assistant coach on Larry Krystkowiak’s staff. Once Krystkowiak was fired in March, it is unknown if new head coach Craig Smith will retain Henry. Smith has hired two assistants to his staff in DeMarlo Slocum and Eric Peterson. He still has one more assistant coaching spot to fill and will need to hire a director of basketball operations.

Ian joins Alfonso Plummer, Jordan Kellier and Timmy Allen as Runnin’ Utes that have entered the transfer portal since Krystkowiak’s departure. Riley Battin and Lahat Thioune both pulled their names out of the portal and will return to the Utah program under Smith.

Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for KSLSports.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.