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Katin Reinhardt latest in a long line of Mater Dei transfers

California v UNLV

SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 21: Katin Reinhardt #5 of the UNLV Rebels handles the ball against Tyrone Wallace #3 of the California Golden Bears in the first half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at HP Pavilion on March 21, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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On a night like this, an interesting tweet can go a long way. And we got just that from a RT from former colleague Daniel Martin at CSN.

Quite simply, @corryjoel asks, what’s up with former Mater Dei players transferring so much?

Martin added on.

Plus Tyler Lamb + Max Hooper RT @corryjoel: What’s up with all the Mater Dei hoops transfers (T. King, G. Franklin, Wear Twins, Reinhardt)?

— Daniel Martin (@DMartinCSN) May 27, 2013


So by the numbers, since King in 2007, that makes seven high-level players who played at the famed California prep sports powerhouse to leave the school they initially enrolled in. Including one, Taylor King, who went from Duke to Villanova to NAIA Concordia, though his off-the-court problems are well documented and he’s seemed to thankfully overcome them.

But the trend is something of an interesting point. Though the reasons as varied. Tyler Lamb left UCLA for Long Beach State, one of many players that became disenchanted with now-former coach Ben Howland. Max Hooper bolted from Harvard in search of better competition at St John’s. The Wear twins, David and Travis, wanted to be closer to home after a year at North Carolina. Gary Franklin is at Baylor after parting ways with California in 2011 and now we get Katin Reinhardt bouncing from UNLV in search of a place he can play more point guard.

Maybe the most eyebrow-raising fact, only Tyler Lamb lasted more than one season at his original school.

To be clear, this doesn’t seem to be a “Mater Dei” thing. It seems like the only thing these players have in common is their high school. All had reasons, justified or not, but none have to do with where they prepped. But the irony is interesting.

And in the fickle world of recruiting, this may put a few coaches on notice in the future. If a player has legit talent, and plays at a D-1 factory like Mater Dei, it definitely won’t stop high-major programs from recruiting them, but it may make them cautious that after year one, the post-season individual player meeting might last a few minutes longer.

Follow David Harten on Twitter at @David_Harten