NIL

Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper could soon fund the team

Coach proud as Harper and Bailey prepare for NBA draft Coach Steve Pikiell shares pride as Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey head to the NBA after standout seasons. The email about Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper arrived a few hours before the NBA Draft, and it echoed the sentiments of more than a few Rutgers […]

Published

1 month ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The email about Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper arrived a few hours before the NBA Draft, and it echoed the sentiments of more than a few Rutgers basketball fans regarding this historic occasion for the Scarlet Knights.

“I don’t understand all the praise,” it read. “This season was an incredible embarrassment.”

“I don’t get it.”

Because their one season at Rutgers yielded a losing record, there seems to be a feeling of indifference or worse among the much of the faithful about these two teammates becoming top-five draft picks – an unprecedented achievement in New Jersey college basketball.

If you can’t separate the magnitude of that from the shocking disappointment of a 15-17 season, or appreciate the fact that these guys will only call Rutgers their alma mater in an age of incessant school-hopping, then here’s another thing to think about.

There are potentially $60 million reasons why Rutgers fans should get behind Ace Bailey’s and Dylan Harper’s fortunes.

One day, not too long from now, one or both of them could be bankrolling the basketball program’s roster.

Don’t scoff. Stuff like this is already happening elsewhere. Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is the assistant general manager for the men’s and women’s basketball programs at his alma mater, Davidson College.

Curry will “start an eight-figure fund for both the men and women’s programs,” ESPN reported earlier this year.

In March, Oklahoma hired alum and NBA All-Star Trae Young as an assistant general manager for its men’s basketball program and announced his $1 million donation to the program.

Last offseason, NBA star James Harden made what was reported as a “high six-figure” donation to help his alma mater Arizona State land forward Jayden Quaintance, who decommitted from Kentucky.

“I wanted to be a part of helping the team and the school get players,” Harden told Front Office Sports, “and if NIL is the problem, then I can help with that.”

The reporter who wrote the Harden story, Westfield native Alex Schiffer, thinks this could be the start of a trend – especially now that, unlike most current pros, Harper and Bailey benefitted from NIL during their time in college.

“With the way the NBA’s (salary) cap is going, it wouldn’t surprise me if either of those guys is making $60-million plus a year in a couple of years with their second contracts if they live up to the hype,” Schiffer said. “A month’s interest on that contract, a game check – they give that to Rutgers and that can go a really long way.”

Rutgers has to do its part, continuing to cultivate the relationships. That’s something head coach Steve Pikiell and his staff have been very good at. You see former players around the program all the time – at practices, at games, dropping by Pikiell’s office.

“Ron (Harper Jr.) is back all the time,” Pikiell said after the draft. “Caleb (McConnell) is coming back in a couple of weeks, which I love. Aundre Hyatt’s back right now; he’s going to play in France. These guys (Bailey and Dylan Harper) are part of our family, too. I’m looking forward to seeing them play a lot, which I will as much as I can, but I’m also looking forward to them coming back and sharing their lessons with our younger guys.”

Count on it, both players said before the draft.

“That’s home for me,” Dylan Harper said. “I’m tight with the coaching staff. I’ll definitely be returning.”

When Bailey threw out the first pitch before the New York Mets’ game June 24, he bought and signed Mets jerseys for Rutgers staffers who accompanied him to Citi Field. It’s a thoughtful gift, probably the first of many.

“I plan on going back and watching my fellow teammates and the new teammates there whenever I can,” he said.

Much has been said and written about Rutgers Athletics’ financial struggles, how it lags peers in the funding department. In this new pay-for-play era, the results on the court reflect that.

“Rutgers hasn’t exactly been on the cutting edge of NIL,” Pikiell said recently.

Bailey and Harper could change that with the stroke of a pen, and not 20 years from now, either.

“It’s the biggest gift that Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper can give Rutgers, given that it didn’t work out in their one year here,” Schiffer said. “If you’re Steve Pikiell and you’re the coach at Rutgers when these guys are getting paychecks like that, that’s the hope.”

After the draft Pikiell was asked about that possibility.

“They will be great – they’ll give back to their community,” he said. “Hope they sign many, many contracts. They’re generous people and good people – and that (the idea of them donating) is never anything I think about. Rutgers, though, really benefitted from these two guys being here. And I appreciate them.”

Given just how deep their pockets are going to be, Rutgers fans should appreciate them, too.

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

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NIL

Notre Dame WR Jordan Faison the Latest Rhoback Athlete

Notre Dame’s history with Rhoback is getting extensive at this point. Michael Mayer, Kyle Hamilton, Audric Estimè, Benjamin Morrison and Riley Leonard have all had NIL deals with the activewear company and now receiver Jordan Faison is the latest. Rhoback announced the deal with Faison on Sunday and also released a new licenese Notre Dame […]

Published

53 minutes ago

August 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Notre Dame WR Jordan Faison the Latest Rhoback Athlete

Rhoback announced the deal with Faison on Sunday and also released a new licenese Notre Dame line for the 2025 season.

“We’ve been fortunate to build strong ties within the Notre Dame community over the past few years, working with incredible athletes like Kyle Hamilton, Michael Mayer, Audric Estime, Riley Leonard, and Benjamin Morrison — and we’re thrilled to continue that momentum with Jordan,” Rhoback said in a statement. “He embodies the energy, character, and creativity we look for in every ambassador. His personality is contagious, and his story resonates beyond the football field. We’re excited to work with him to create content that speaks to his audience and to roll out collegiate gear that the Notre Dame fanbase can be proud of.”

Faison is projected to start at field receiver for the Irish in 2025 after tallying 25 receptions for 356 yards and one score last season. The South Florida native has also appeared in 29 games for the lacrosse program (26 starts) over his first two seasons at Notre Dame.

“Joining Rhoback is something I’m truly excited about,” said Faison. “Their gear speaks for itself — from performance to everyday wear, it’s what I feel good in. And seeing how they’ve already been embraced here at Notre Dame, with guys like Kyle Hamilton, Michael Mayer, Audric Estime, Riley Leonard, and Benjamin Morrison repping the brand, it just felt right.

“The licensed collegiate pieces are clean, and we’ve got some creative content dropping soon that I can’t wait to share. Rhoback isn’t just an apparel brand — they’re tapped into the culture and really care about who they work with. That’s why I’m pumped to bring it all to my community and represent what they stand for.”

You can support Faison by purchasing Rhoback gear from his commission link here: Jordan Faison Discount Link

Rhoback has also announced NIL deals with Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.

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Mike Gundy’s Vision for a Reformed College Football Landscape

Published

58 minutes ago

August 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy, entering his 21st season as head coach, aims to improve the state of college football before he steps away. He believes the sport faces challenges with the transfer portal and NIL initiatives affecting fan engagement and revenue disparities. Gundy advocates for a structured leadership model, suggesting a commissioner to oversee fair revenue sharing and balance among Power Conference teams to ensure the sport’s viability and appeal. He remains optimistic about coaching while hoping to implement his solutions for improvement.

By the Numbers

Gundy has been the head coach at Oklahoma State for 21 years.
U.S. college football has seen numerous coaching changes and conference realignments in recent years, impacting revenue and team composition.

State of Play

The college football landscape is undergoing significant changes due to NIL and the transfer portal.
Gundy believes fan engagement is waning due to frequent player turnover.

What’s Next

If Gundy’s proposed leadership structure gains traction, it could lead to meaningful discussions around equity and sustainability in college football. His insights may influence how officials approach ongoing issues surrounding player payments and team competitiveness.

Bottom Line

Gundy’s call for a unified leadership in college football highlights the urgent need for structural changes to maintain fan interest and enhance the sport’s future viability. Solutions must prioritize fairness across conferences to ensure college football remains compelling and financially viable.

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NIL

With the NIL floodgates wide open, the soul of college sports is eroding

Kentucky’s BBN on the precipice of a new era in college sports A crisp fall day in Lexington. Cornhole bags thud against wooden boards in the Kroger Field parking lot. Laughter carries in the cool air. Someone’s playing John Anderson from a truck bed. Strangers become friends because they wear the same shade of blue […]

Published

59 minutes ago

August 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Kentucky’s BBN on the precipice of a new era in college sports

A crisp fall day in Lexington. Cornhole bags thud against wooden boards in the Kroger Field parking lot. Laughter carries in the cool air. Someone’s playing John Anderson from a truck bed. Strangers become friends because they wear the same shade of blue sipping from red solo cups.

This is what college sports were meant to be.

College sports has many problems to solve like the NIL but leaders want to mess with the one gold situation the ⁦@MarchMadnessMBB⁩ ⁦. Yes spend time fixing the problems with the NIL & transfer portal which have created CHAOS ! via @ESPN App https://t.co/TbcdfHpy05

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) August 1, 2025

Not contracts. Not Transfer Portals. Not subscription fees to get closer to the team you already love.

There was once a purity to college athletics. A Sunday afternoon in March wasn’t about contracts or new NIL opportunities—it was about Selection Sunday watch parties. It was the ache in your stomach when your team’s bubble burst, or the explosion of joy when your name popped up on the bracket. It was about campus pride, alumni devotion, and that unspoken bond between generations of fans.

Now? It’s harder to recognize.

With NIL collectives and coaches calling for fans to “pony up,” and players treating the portal like a revolving door, the soul of college sports is on the line. Not gone completely—but eroding fast.

“texas tech is ruining college sports”

“texas tech needs to be investigated what they’re doing should be illegal”

“what texas tech is doing in NIL is wrong”

meanwhile: pic.twitter.com/71RuLFkON1

— 🦅 future dogtor felipe 🦅 (@felipe4prez) June 14, 2025

The House v. NCAA settlement cracked the dam wide open. Schools will soon pay athletes directly, essentially legalizing revenue sharing in the Power 5. On its own, that might be progress. But pair it with unrestricted transfers and a pay-to-play arms race, and the result isn’t college sports—it’s something closer to minor league professional ball.

Programs are rebuilt yearly, not developed. Jerseys don’t stay hung in lockers—they’re reused like name tags at a networking event. Even the idea of the four-year student-athlete at one school is slipping into nostalgia. Rylan Griffen will be playing for Texas A&M basketball this fall, his third school in 4 years. Zach Calzada will be on his 4th team in 7 years at Kentucky.

Some welcome this. Others—administrators like Mitch Barnhart, coaches like Tara VanDerveer, fans across every conference—are sounding the alarm. Because what made college sports special wasn’t just the talent. It was the tradition, the continuity, the sense of community.

And while the athletes deserve everything they’ve earned, the pay-for-play that NIL has become has changed the game forever. And while some champion this change in how things are done, the rest of us are left wondering:

When did we lose the game we fell in love with? Will it ever come back?

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AJ McCarron blasts NCAA for having multiple transfer portal windows: ‘Outrageous’

AJ McCarron blasted the NCAA for having multiple transfer portal windows for football season. The former Alabama quarterback said there has to be one to even attempt at reducing tampering and player movement, that would be out of the ordinary of course. McCarron, for context, referenced Wisconsin suing Miami for tampering with transfer Xavier Lucas. […]

Published

2 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

AJ McCarron blasted the NCAA for having multiple transfer portal windows for football season. The former Alabama quarterback said there has to be one to even attempt at reducing tampering and player movement, that would be out of the ordinary of course.

McCarron, for context, referenced Wisconsin suing Miami for tampering with transfer Xavier Lucas. Lucas alleged that the Badgers’ staff refused to enter his name into the portal in December when he left Wisconsin and enrolled at Miami in January.

Right now, there’s a winter portal and a spring portal for football. An extreme example would be an early enrollee freshman coming to a program in December or January and then transferring to a new school three months or so later before even starting their first season.

“Having these multiple transfer portal windows (is) just awful,” McCarron said on The Dynasty. “I don’t understand it. It’s one of the stupidest things that the NCAA is allowing right now. There should be one only window, and it’s at, just say, January, towards the end of the year, after bowl games, whatever it is like, the fact that there’s multiple is outrageous.

“Now there’s already tampering going on. Like you gotta be a complete dummy to think that no other university is tampering … For Xavier (Lucas’) case, they said it was like an uncle or a family member that met with a university Miami coach and hosted them at their house one week, so one weekend, and that’s how they came up with a deal. So how do you track any of this? How do you make sure guys are following rules? There’s no way to do it right?”

McCarron went on to say how there are so many loopholes to the current transfer portal rules. Throw NIL into the mix and boy, you’ve got the wild west.

Tampering has become a massive topic of concern for coaches in recent years. NIL and the Transfer Portal have created massive roster movement, and that incentivizes teams to speak to players to get them to enter the portal, knowing the offer they’ll receive once they enter.

“There’s so many avenues with social media, platforms, burner phones, there’s so many things that you can go around and find a way to sneak around and tamper with with athletes,” McCarron said. “Listen, for the sake of college football, they need this ruling to go in the favor of Wisconsin. So there’s an actual set of rules that they have to go by. If it’s not, it’s just going to make it more of the wild wild west.”

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Youth extravaganza to offer learning opportunities and fun at Native Omaha Days

Youth extravaganza to offer learning opportunities and fun at Native Omaha Days Sunday Youth extravaganza to offer learning opportunities and fun at Native Omaha Days THE SEASON. 737 NOW AND NATIVE OMAHA DAYS IS IN FULL SWING AND THERE IS SOMETHING TO DO FOR EVERYONE THIS WEEK. AND THAT INCLUDES THE KIDDOS. TODAY’S YOUTH EXTRAVAGANZA […]

Published

3 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Youth extravaganza to offer learning opportunities and fun at Native Omaha Days Sunday

Youth extravaganza to offer learning opportunities and fun at Native Omaha Days

THE SEASON. 737 NOW AND NATIVE OMAHA DAYS IS IN FULL SWING AND THERE IS SOMETHING TO DO FOR EVERYONE THIS WEEK. AND THAT INCLUDES THE KIDDOS. TODAY’S YOUTH EXTRAVAGANZA OFFERS NOT JUST FUN, BUT DIFFERENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S EDDIE MESSEL IS LIVE WITH MORE. GOOD MORNING EDDIE. YEAH, GOOD MORNING. AND LISTEN, THERE’S A TON OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND WE’RE EXCITED FOR IT. BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, JOINING ME NOW IS GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT. WE’RE GOING TO START WITH THE FUN STUFF THOUGH WILLIAM KING. HE IS THE FOUNDER OF THE YOUTH EXTRAVAGANZA THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE TODAY. WHAT DO YOU GOT HERE TODAY WILLIAM? WATER GUN. YOU KNOW, I’M GETTING READY FOR MY GRANDKIDS. YOU KNOW, I’M TAKING SOME SOME STUFF OUT ON THEM. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A BIG OBSTACLE COURSE FOR FOR THE BIG KIDS. ALSO TO RUN AROUND AND CHASE THE LITTLE KIDS FOR ALL THE STUFF THAT THEY DON’T PAY ATTENTION TO. WE GET THEM TODAY. MAN, I’M GETTING EXCITED. YOU SEE, ALREADY GOT MY PROPS. I GOT TWO OF THESE ALREADY, SO WE’RE HOPING YOU BRING YOURS OUT. IF YOU COME OVER HERE, I’M GONNA GET YOU TODAY. I’M GONNA GET YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE GOT THAT FUN STUFF ON THE OUTSIDE. INSIDE. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME COOL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUTH TO LEARN SOMETHING I THINK IS SUPER INTERESTING. THAT NIL SEMINAR. TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THE YOUTH CAN LEARN FROM THAT. WELL, WE GOT LAMAR MCMORRIS COMING IN TO TALK ABOUT THE NIL. YOU KNOW HIS SON YOU KNOW PLAYED AT BELLEVUE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN NEBRASKA. AND SO HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE PUTTING THE BEST POSITION. YOU KNOW BECAUSE THIS OPPORTUNITY IS ONCE IN A LIFETIME. AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE MAKING GREAT DECISIONS AS, AS THEY GO THROUGH THEIR THEIR COLLEGE CAREER. AND SO FOR THOSE YOUNG ATHLETES, HE’S HE’S GOT SOMETHING SET UP FOR FOR THEM TO BENEFIT 100% FROM THAT NEW NIL SYSTEM. ALRIGHTY, WILLIAM, WE’RE GOING TO HAVE MORE FROM WILLIAM ON COMING UP. BUT AGAIN, YOU GOT THE WATER FUN OUT HERE TODAY. THE NIL SEMINAR, AS WELL AS AN ENTREPRENEUR EXPO. WE’LL SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS IN THE STUDIO. ONE MORE COMING UP HERE LATER THIS MORNING. WATCH OUT EDDIE. HE’S GOING TO GET YOU. THANK YOU. 7.39 NOW. AND TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY OF THE SANTA LUCIA FESTIVAL. THIS IS THE 101ST YEAR CELEBRATING FAITH, FOOD AND ITALIAN CULTURE IN LITTLE ITALY. ALL WEEKEND SO FAR, PEOPLE HAVE CELEBRATED TRADITIONS LIKE MAKING AN ITALIAN RECIPE FROM SCRATCH. ORGANIZERS SAY THIS EVENT IS A

Youth extravaganza to offer learning opportunities and fun at Native Omaha Days Sunday

Youth extravaganza to offer learning opportunities and fun at Native Omaha Days

Updated: 9:30 AM CDT Aug 3, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

With two days left of the Native Omaha Days 2025 festival, Sunday will have an opportunity for youth to learn life skills as well as have some fun.The Youth Extravaganza will take place at the Schenzel Community Center and Hope Center for Kids. There will be water fun and adventures outside while inside kids will have the chance to learn at an entrepreneur expo as well as a NIL seminar. The Youth Extravaganza will start at 2 p.m. Sunday and end at 8 p.m.

OMAHA, Neb. —

With two days left of the Native Omaha Days 2025 festival, Sunday will have an opportunity for youth to learn life skills as well as have some fun.

The Youth Extravaganza will take place at the Schenzel Community Center and Hope Center for Kids. There will be water fun and adventures outside while inside kids will have the chance to learn at an entrepreneur expo as well as a NIL seminar.

The Youth Extravaganza will start at 2 p.m. Sunday and end at 8 p.m.

NIL

Kansas transfer, former Vanderbilt guard Noah Shelby commits to Texas A&M

Former Kansas guard Noah Shelby has committed to Texas A&M, via the NCAA Transfer Portal, per The Athletic‘s Tobias Bass. Shelby transferred to Kansas last offseason and redshirted during the 2024-25 season. Shelby was an invited walk-on for the Jayhawks. He began his college career at Vanderbilt, where he made 14 appearances. Shelby averaged 3.7 points […]

Published

3 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Kansas transfer, former Vanderbilt guard Noah Shelby commits to Texas A&M

Former Kansas guard Noah Shelby has committed to Texas A&M, via the NCAA Transfer Portal, per The Athletic‘s Tobias Bass. Shelby transferred to Kansas last offseason and redshirted during the 2024-25 season.

Shelby was an invited walk-on for the Jayhawks. He began his college career at Vanderbilt, where he made 14 appearances. Shelby averaged 3.7 points in 9.1 minutes per game for the Commodores.

Shelby transferred to Rice after his lone campaign at Vanderbilt. At Rice, Shelby saw action in 31 games and started once. He averaged 3.9 points and 1.0 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game while shooting 35.1% from the field.

Shelby served as a practice player for the Jayhawks last season. He played high school basketball at Greenhill School (TX), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 125 overall player and No. 20 shooting guard in the 2022 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

He is the 11th transfer Texas A&M has landed this offseason. Most notably, the Aggies reeled in commitments from former Creighton guard Pop Isaacs and former Indiana forward Mackenzie Mgbako.

Noah Shelby isn’t the only former Kansas player to join the Aggies. Kansas shooting guard Rylan Griffen also transferred to Texas A&M this offseason.

The Aggies are entering a new era after head coach Buzz Williams left the program to take over at Maryland. In turn, the school hired former Samford head coach Bucky McMillan to take the reins.

McMillan was Samford‘s head coach for the past five seasons, amassing a 99-52 overall record during his tenure. He had his best season at Samford in the 2023-24 campaign when he led the Bulldogs to a 29-6 record, a 15-3 mark in conference play, a Southern Conference regular-season title, a conference tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

McMillan also guided Samford to a SoCon regular-season championship in the previous season. For his efforts, McMillan won the Southern Conference Coach of the Year Award three consecutive seasons (2022-24).

McMillan’s teams are known for their fast-pace. McMillan’s entertaining style of play has affectionately come to be known as “Bucky Ball.” Samford averaged 82.9 points per game last season, the 14th-most in the country.

McMillan’s teams don’t slow down on defense, constantly pressing their opponents. Samford ranked in the top 20 in the country for opponent turnover percentage the past two seasons.

Now, McMillan will look to carry over his success to the Power Four level. With players like Shelby by his side, he should have a strong roster entering his debut campaign at the helm of the Aggies.