NCAA prepares for NIL blowback
Is the NCAA really ready for this fight? Plus, transfer portal news and ex-Michigan State star Payne dies.
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It’s Monday, which means you’ve been daydreaming about what you might’ve done with that supertrifecta $$$ from Rich Strike’s stunning Kentucky Derby win. Yeah, me too. But there’s still plenty of college basketball news you can use.
THE FIGHT OVER NIL
‘We could get sued’
The NCAA is expected to pass new Name, Image and Likeness guidelines on Monday.
Expect a lot of pushback.
If the Division I Board of Directors accepts recommendations for new an adjusted NIL — last week’s Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 spring meetings prompted a flurry of stories about what NIL is and isn’t supposed to be — it shouldn’t take long for lawyers, sports agents and others to quickly file suit in response.
So, as Terrell Owens would say, getcha popcorn ready.
“We had to make a business decision to say, ‘You know what? This is a line in the sand,’” Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith told The Athletic. “There’s going to be risk with the position that we’re going to take. There always is with these types of things. We could get sued. But, for the betterment of the whole and all the student-athletes we serve, we’ve got to take that risk.”
This is a fight against the NIL collectives that have popped up at schools. This is to curb luring players with hundreds of thousands of dollars to transfer schools. This is sending a message to schools, to boosters, to players.
“This is the time we have to put our stake in the ground. Enough! This is not acceptable,” Colorado AD Rick George told SI.com. “What we’re doing is not good for intercollegiate athletics, and it has got to stop.”
And it’s also, as Smith notes, a big risk.
It’s not just about going forward, either. The NCAA wants to talk to athletes about how things went in Year 1 of the NIL.
But they just want to talk. No, really.1
Whether Monday significantly changes anything remains to be seen. The only certainty is that the money isn’t going anywhere in college sports.
ADREIAN PAYNE, 1991-2022
Ex-Michigan State star Payne dies
Adreian Payne’s senior season was something. The 6-10 forward teamed with Gary Harris, Keith Appling and Denzel Valentine to lead the Spartans to the Big Ten Tournament title and the 2014 Final Four, and was then taken No. 15 overall in the NBA Draft.
But more people probably remember his senior night moment with Lacey Holsworth, an 8-year-old fighting neuroblastoma, a fetal-nerve cell cancer. Payne had befriended Holsworth that year and stood with her during senior night, allowing her to take in the sights of the crowd.
That’s the prevailing memory from the news of Payne’s death on Monday at the age of 31.
Payne had played professionally since being drafted, first for Atlanta, then for other NBA and G-League teams before playing overseas starting in 2019. He had played this spring with Al-Saad of the Qatar Basketball League.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL’S PORTAL
The Butler Way
When the Bulldogs made two straight Final Fours as one of college basketball’s premier mid-major programs, the Butler Way essentially meant putting team above self. They found an ideal player for it.
Eric Hunter started 19 games for Purdue last season. The 6-4 senior hit 44% of his 3s, and was solid on defense. He’s not a dynamic point guard (his ARate and TOrate a bit high), but does a lot of the little things you want and should be a great piece for the puzzle Thad Matta is working on in Indy.
To recap: Two shot blockers in Manny Bates and Jalen Thomas. A big wing in Ali Ali, Hunter and only lost one retained pretty much everyone else currently at Butler. That’s a solid few weeks and should set up the Bulldogs for success next season.
More news from the portal
Devin Askew is headed to Cal. Started with Kentucky and spent last season with Texas. He’ll almost certainly see plenty of playing time with the Bears.
BYU snagged a nice player in Coastal Carolina guard Rudi Williams. He averaged 14.7 ppg while connecting on 45% of his 3s.
New Seton Hall coach Shaheen Holloway added two players in the last week: Pittsburgh guard Femi Odukale and Clemson guard Al-Amir Dawes.
Jarod Lucas hit 39% of his 3s last season for Oregon State. He’s headed to Nevada.
Morris Udeze, a 6-8 forward who went for 10 and 6 last season for Wichita State, is going to New Mexico. Could the Lobos make a jump the way Wyoming did in 2021-22?
Wisconsin picked up Max Klesmit, who averaged 14.9 points and shot 34% from beyond the arc last season for Wofford.
GREAT MOMENTS IN JOURNALISM
That’s Banchero. B-A-N-C …
Martin Brundle must not watch a lot of football. Because how tall does he think Patrick Mahomes is if he mistakes him for 6-foot-10 Paolo Banchero?2
Paolo and Patrick had fun with it. But yeesh.
HUMAN EVOLUTION
The only time Jaden Ivey’s ever been short …
As Francesco Semprucci notes, these are some tall humans.
From right, that’s Chet Holmgren, Jaden Ivey, Victor Wembanyama and Zach Edey. But technically Edey is taller than Wembanyama? We’re so funny about how we measure height.3
The Fast Break
Links for your Monday reading.
Carson Cooper had such a nice season with IMG Academy and the Florida Rebels in EYBL, Michigan State signed the 6-10 forward. He’ll likely redshirt the 2022-23 season.
Kentucky added 6-5 combo guard Adou Thiero as part of its 2022 recruiting class. He’s the third high schooler headed to Lexington next season.
St. John’s landed 7-footer Mohamed Keita, an NBA Academy Africa player.
Colorado coach Tad Boyle will lead USA Basketball’s Men’s U-18 team. Mike Boynton and Leon Ric are assistants.
Christian Braun landed an NBA combine invite, meaning most think he’s a likely first-round pick. Jalen Wilson did not get one (yet).
Middlesex Magic isn’t just a great name for an AAU program. It’s also sent a bunch of guys to the NBA.
Too many passwords? Constantly resetting them? Then read how one company wants to do away with them.
I’m old enough to remember when crazy ice cream had flavors like “bubble gum.” Now there’s wasabi, everything bagel, pizza, and goat cheese.
What would players possibly have to gain from talking to the NCAA now?
Do Paolo Banchero and Patrick Mahomes look alike? Clearly rhetorical.
I’ve never understood why European prospects are measured without shoes. Nobody plays barefoot.