Atkinson will transfer

Paul Atkinson, the Co-Ivy League Player of the Year in men’s basketball, posted on social media his intention to graduate from Yale in the spring and play elsewhere in the 2021-22 season as a graduate transfer.

“My four years at Yale have been nothing short of amazing.” Atkinson wrote. “The coaching staff has taught me so much and helped me mature to the basketball player I am today. I especially want to thank Coach [ James] Jones who has been nothing but supportive of me in all my decisions. I also want to thank my family and loved ones for supporting me in my decision making. With that, I will be graduating from Yale this upcoming spring and entering the transfer portal with a year of eligibility remaining.”

A recent NCAA rule allows student-athletes to play this winter and still recapture that season of eligibility. So Atkinson, if he so choses and Yale has a season in the winter, can still play for the Bulldogs and get an addition season at another school as a graduate transfer. While some Yale players have taken a leave of absence and aren’t currently enrolled, Atkinson is enrolled and as his tweet indicates, is progressing towards wrapping up his undergraduate degree requirements.

The 6-foot-10 Atkinson led Yale with an average of 17.6 points while shooting 63 percent from the field to help the Bulldogs win the

Ivy League regular-season title.

He scored in double figures in all 30 games with 12 20-point efforts and seven double-doubles. If he played his final game at Yale, he will finish as the Bulldogs’ leader in field-goal percentage in a season (.697 as a sophomore) and a career (.661). Yale is 61-30 including 30-12 in Ivy League regularseason play during Atkinson’s first three seasons.

The Bulldogs won the Ivy League tournament in 2019, the league’s regular-season title in the 2019-2020 campaign and were regular season co-champions in Atkinson’s sophomore season.