© Wesley Hale-Imagn Images
Transfer basketball player Frankie Collins is no longer a member of the Vanderbilt Commodores. The school refuses to explain his mysterious exit.
Collins recently responded to fans seeking clarity on social media. His comments did little to provide answers.
Rumors of a departure surfaced earlier this week due to odd activity on Facebook Marketplace. The fifth-year senior listed furniture from his apartment for sale in the Nashville area.
He now seems destined to enter the transfer portal for a fourth time in six years.
Who is Frankie Collins?
The guard has been around the block a few times throughout his college career. His NCAA tenure started with Michigan where he signed onto play for Juwan Howard.
A four-star prospect from California, he averaged 2.7 points and 1.4 assists in his freshman year. He then left for Arizona State where he spent two seasons before again hitting the portal.
Last year, he suited up for TCU. With the Horned Frogs, he averaged double figures in scoring. He chose not to stick with the program after the 2024-25 campaign.
In the offseason, he signed with Vanderbilt. His time in Nashville has ended before the conclusion of the regular season.
Collins has talent. He possesses freaky athleticism and an ability to score at the rim.
With the Commodores, he experienced a dip in production and minutes. After scoring at a 13.2 point per night clip over the last two years, he’s down to 7.8 PPG at Vandy.
An early knee injury slowed him in his senior season, but he was expected to be available for a March Madness push.
“Frankie is medically cleared, and we just got to get him going. So, hopefully this bye week’s the one. But he’s got to push himself and get ready. I know we counted on him. We invested in him. He’s a guy who can really help us win. So hopefully he has the same motivation to get back.”
-Head coach Mark Byington on Jan. 31
Was usage the reason for his exit? Was there more going on behind the scenes? We don’t know. The Vanderbilt basketball team refuses to elaborate further.
Collins is leaving Nashville.
Rumors of a departure were confirmed on Tuesday. Head coach Mark Byington addressed the situation in a statement this week.
“Frankie has left Nashville, and he’s not gonna be on the team. It’s gonna be good for both sides of it. We wish him well. So, we’ll roll with the guys we got.”
-Mark Byington
That statement did not explain whether it was a decision made by the player or by the team.
The fanbase is searching for answers. The guard responded to followers on social media but provided zero clarity.
why? so yall can’t point the finger? It’s okay man. Just let everyone keep throwing my name in the dirt it’s okay. I’ll take all the blame for the whole situation. I won’t have any comments towards it.
— frankie💕 (@Frankiecollins0) March 4, 2026
He, too, refused to open up about the situation though he cryptically placed some blame on Vanderbilt.
To this point, there remain more questions than answers. It seems there was a clear divide on his commitment to returning to the court.
Vanderbilt believed he was ready to play after rehabbing his setback. He has not suited up since December. The issue has now boiled over.
The Commodores will enter the postseason without Frankie Collins on the roster.