NIL
Biggest WNBA Season Ever Begins; Why High School Star Chose China Over NIL
The WNBA season tips off Friday with substantial momentum from last year, but a CBA negotiation looms that could shape women’s sports going forward. FOS reporter Annie Costabile explains where negotiations stand ahead of this pivotal year that could see Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever win a championship. Plus, high school basketball star Noah Neumann joins […]


The WNBA season tips off Friday with substantial momentum from last year, but a CBA negotiation looms that could shape women’s sports going forward. FOS reporter Annie Costabile explains where negotiations stand ahead of this pivotal year that could see Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever win a championship.
Plus, high school basketball star Noah Neumann joins the show to explain his viral decision to play in China instead of the NCAA, and breaks some big news about his overseas career. There’s also a secret SuperSonics museum in Seattle, and Knicks ticket prices are jaw-dropping once again.
NIL
Top NBA prospect AJ Dybantsa signs exclusive deal with Fanatics, explains BYU choice
Fanatics and Fanatics Collectibles announced Wednesday they’ve signed incoming BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa to a multi-year exclusive deal, dubbing the pact one of the company’s “most significant NIL deals ever.” Dybantsa, 18, is a top candidate to become the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The partnership starts immediately, according to Fanatics, focusing […]

Fanatics and Fanatics Collectibles announced Wednesday they’ve signed incoming BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa to a multi-year exclusive deal, dubbing the pact one of the company’s “most significant NIL deals ever.”
Dybantsa, 18, is a top candidate to become the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The partnership starts immediately, according to Fanatics, focusing on trading cards and memorabilia and will extend beyond Dybantsa’s collegiate career.
“Me and my family really just take time with these deals we get,” Dybantsa told The Athletic when asked why he signed with Fanatics. “We don’t just go for any brand. It’s kind of more than just the brand itself. It’s kind of who’s running it, who’s behind it. We’re big family people, so how the brand is like a family connection, and we think we met those standards with Omar (Wilkes, head of athlete partnerships for Fanatics Collectibles) and Michael (Rubin, Fanatics CEO).”
Fanatics signing top NBA draft prospects to exclusive deals is a continuing trend for the company, following agreements with Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg. On the women’s side, Fanatics also signed USC’s JuJu Watkins to an exclusive deal earlier this year. Dybantsa is fresh off an MVP performance in helping Team USA win the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland on Sunday by beating Germany in the finals.
For trading cards, the deal will include autographs, game-used jerseys, inscriptions and being involved in brand marketing campaigns. According to Fanatics Collectibles, Dybantsa will be in a number of upcoming products, among them Bowman U Now and other Bowman offerings.
Topps, owned by Fanatics, is set to take over the NBA licensing for trading cards in October, taking it away from Panini. This means collectors can acquire NBA autographed cards with team logos and names attached for Flagg and eventually Dybantsa. That wasn’t the case for Wembanyama, whose autographed rookie cards appeared on unlicensed Topps products.
Below is a selection of questions and answers from the 6-foot-9 forward’s interview with The Athletic about collecting, NIL, BYU, and potentially being the No. 1 pick in next year’s NBA Draft:
How big are you into card collecting at all?
I was when I was younger. I used to collect cards, but ever since then I haven’t really haven’t done too much. I liked NBA, NFL, MLB (cards), but I haven’t been doing too much about that. … I probably had a crazy Charizard or something like that.
Do you see yourself maybe collecting yourself or do you think, nah, maybe not?
Yeah. I might collect myself. I can pull for myself. It might be cool.
Would you go chasing after cards? Maybe go try to buy it yourself?
I don’t know if I’ll buy my own card, but if he was willing to give it to me for free, I’ll take it.
Who are some of the players that you’ve modeled your game after that you admire and inspire?
My favorite player since growing up has been Kevin Durant. I tried to model my game after various guys, though, like Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Tracy McGrady, now Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander). Just those types of big wings, big guards.
In terms of a basketball program and a brand, what drew you to attend BYU?
With the staff they had, (BYU head coach) Kevin Young has coached my favorite player. He’s also coached Chris Paul, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker. Those types of guys. My ultimate goal is to go to the NBA, so why not try to get that knowledge earlier, before I get there and try to be the most prepared for when I get there.
How much have you been in touch with people along the way for guidance?
When I come across them, you know, I ask questions. Our life, we practice a little bit (for the NBA), but nothing has even come close to even starting there so I’m just excited to play college basketball. I’m not too worried about the whole process. But I’ve talked to guys like Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Paolo (Banchero). They shared their experiences going through the draft process.
How do you juggle being a player and then having NIL commitments?
It’s good that players can make money off of their brand. They should have (before recently). I know a lot of players wish that they were younger so they can have the opportunity. I think it should have been applied a while ago, but I think it’s a great add on for athletes, not just basketball, generating however much money from fans, from games and ticket sales and everything. They should get a piece, so this is exciting that you can make money off of your name.
What are some of the things on the court you could work on? What are some of the things that you really feel like suit you for the college game and for the next level?
I’ve got a lot of stuff to work on. Just improving my shot, making quicker reads. Obviously, these guys are stronger, older and smarter. So just doing everything quicker and more precisely because this is not high school. They’re not going to just let me do whatever I want. …
I’m just getting in shape. Obviously we’re above sea level by 5,000-plus feet. So it’s getting in shape being able to withstand playing a full 40-minute college game. Getting used to the 3-point line being farther. Doing everything at a faster pace on a college level.
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.
(Top photo: Soobum Im/Getty Images)
NIL
House Rules: What the NCAA Settlement Means for Lacrosse as We Know It
WHAT IT MEANS The House settlement was approved by U.S. Judge Claudia Wilken on June 6, and it brings significant changes to college athletics by addressing three antitrust lawsuits brought against the NCAA. Under House, the NCAA and major conferences will send $2.78 billion in backpay over the next 10 years to former college athletes […]

WHAT IT MEANS
The House settlement was approved by U.S. Judge Claudia Wilken on June 6, and it brings significant changes to college athletics by addressing three antitrust lawsuits brought against the NCAA.
Under House, the NCAA and major conferences will send $2.78 billion in backpay over the next 10 years to former college athletes who competed between June 2016 and September 2024, but were denied NIL earnings. Think players like Sam Apuzzo, Matt Rambo, Izzy Scane and Pat Spencer.
Schools now can begin directly compensating their student-athletes through revenue sharing, with that compensation pool capped at around $20.5 million in 2025-2026. The pool is set to increase 4 percent annually for the next 10 years. It’s designed to help schools pay student-athletes for revenue they help generate and dissuade the pay-for-play NIL deals through collectives that had become commonplace since 2021.
NIL deals aren’t going away, but there’s a new process designed to legitimize them. Student-athletes must create an account and report every deal valued at more than $600 to the new online platform, NIL Go, set up by accounting firm Deloitte.
Each deal’s “fair market value” will be vetted and any deal not cleared can be modified or canceled, or a student-athlete can request neutral arbitration. Keeping an uncleared deal could affect eligibility.
A new entity, the College Sports Commission, is charged with monitoring and enforcing compliance in revenue sharing, NIL deals and roster limits.
LIMITED ROSTERS, UNLIMITED SCHOLARSHIPS
Roster limits are a key piece of the settlement. Previously, sports had unlimited rosters but limited scholarships. The settlement sets roster limits for each sport with the ability to offer a scholarship to every student-athlete on a team. Women’s lacrosse will be 38; men’s lacrosse 48.
One of the final provisions that held up the settlement gives schools the ability to retain rostered players or incoming 2025-2026 freshmen that would put them over the roster limit over the next four years. Players who would have been cut under the new roster limits had to be identified “in good faith” as Designated Student-Athletes (DSA) by July 6.
The DSA distinction is a one-time opportunity for each school but remains with student-athletes throughout their career, whether they remain at the school or transfer. Transfer DSAs do not count against their new school’s roster limit.
WHO’S IN AND WHO’S OUT
Schools must decide annually to opt in or out of the settlement to trigger the options.
“There’s just so much concern financially with making sure that the athletic departments are healthy and can compete,” Northwestern women’s lacrosse coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said.
Part of the backdrop behind that decision is that all Division I member schools are already losing funds as part of the $2.78 billion backpay to former student-athletes. The NCAA will bear some of the financial burden, but schools will also see a reduction from payouts like March Madness and conference deals.
“As an athletic department, you’ve got your portion of the backpay settlement for 10 years, so you’re losing money that you would normally bring in from the conference,” Saint Joseph’s men’s lacrosse coach Taylor Wray said.
The Ivy League and Patriot League have opted out as conferences. They’ve never had scholarships but do offer generous financial aid packages.
“From an Ivy League standpoint, we feel very comfortable because we haven’t changed and we’ve continued to operate in the same landscape that we always have,” said Dartmouth men’s lacrosse coach Sean Kirwan, adding, “With everything changing, it’s kind of nice to be a group that doesn’t have to change.”
By not opting in, their teams won’t have roster limits and their schools won’t be paying student-athletes. Army and Navy (Patriot League) have always been tuition-free because of their military commitments.
“The Patriot League has had discrepancies. Fully funded, not fully funded and the military academies — we’ve always had that,” Holy Cross women’s lacrosse coach Amanda Belichick said. “That’s one of the things that’s unique about our conference. Maybe what you start to see in other conferences is a little bit more of that.”
We know Clemson is all in. Boston College, Denver, Florida, North Carolina, Penn State and South Florida were schools mentioned by multiple coaches as aggressively increasing their support for women’s lacrosse in the wake of the new rules.
“Carolina is going to be very, very competitive in this new market,” Levy said. “I’m not worried about us, but I worry about the sport. It doesn’t help us if 50 percent of the ACC schools don’t match that commitment.”
“One of the reasons I am at Penn State is that they’re all in and they’re going to fully support the women’s lacrosse program,” said Kayla Treanor, who recently left Syracuse to become the head coach in Happy Valley.
Schools that opt into the settlement can pay their student-athletes out of the $20.5 million pool cap, but they don’t have to. It’s up to them how they share the revenue between their sports.
“It’s great that we can pay the players and that they can make an income on top of their scholarship,” Treanor said. “When NIL first came out for women’s lacrosse, it was really to help them pay for their scholarship because we only had 12. Now that number is increasing for a lot of schools. Now this money can go into the players’ pockets.”
NIL
Sooner News Daily | Wednesday (July 9, 2025) – The Football Brainiacs
College Football Ready to talk ball
𝐒𝐄𝐂 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬
July 16
Atlanta pic.twitter.com/P6Bvrao2YH — Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) July 8, 2025
I ranked the Top 25 college football rivalry nicknames. History doesn’t matter. Trophies don’t count. Just cool names. Epic eponyms. 17. Red River Shootout12. Egg Bowl4. Holy War Full list: https://t.co/1uE1Af3tIv — […]

College Football
Ready to talk ball
𝐒𝐄𝐂 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬
July 16
Atlanta pic.twitter.com/P6Bvrao2YH
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) July 8, 2025
I ranked the Top 25 college football rivalry nicknames.
History doesn’t matter. Trophies don’t count. Just cool names. Epic eponyms.
17. Red River Shootout
12. Egg Bowl
4. Holy WarFull list: https://t.co/1uE1Af3tIv
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) July 8, 2025
The big-picture takeaway from a blockbuster recruiting weekend?
College football is speeding faster and faster toward an inevitably NFL-ized future.https://t.co/StO9qu9xkJ
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 8, 2025
College Basketball
How NIL and transfer portal have changed the way college basketball coaches lead https://t.co/HhWHeW5Aem
— The Athletic CBB (@TheAthleticCBB) July 8, 2025
OU Sports & News
Longtime AD Joe Castiglione Announces Future Retirementhttps://t.co/yycuCPEinH
— Oklahoma Sooners (@OU_Athletics) July 8, 2025
Ahead of #Sooners AD Joe Castiglione’s news conference this morning, here’s a look at some of his greatest achievements over the years while leading the department.https://t.co/gw4RviIC2S
— Colton Sulley (@colton_sulley) July 8, 2025
preseason accolades for @ashelton21
| https://t.co/mmijhKftIH pic.twitter.com/WVtuXNxDig
— Oklahoma Volleyball (@OU_Volleyball) July 8, 2025
NIL
Lilly Parrish Wins Florida Gulf Coast League MVP
SARASOTA, Fla. – Lilly Parrish has been named the MVP of the Florida Gulf Coast League the league announced Wednesday morning. The rising sophomore dominated both in the circle and at the plate this summer. She led the league in innings pitched and in strikeouts as a pitcher with 65 innings pitched and 71 […]

The rising sophomore dominated both in the circle and at the plate this summer. She led the league in innings pitched and in strikeouts as a pitcher with 65 innings pitched and 71 strikeouts. With a 9-1 record, she pitched to the tune of a 1.62 ERA.
At the plate she hit .326 with a .415 on-base percentage driving in 13 runs and belting two home runs.
In a standout game earlier in the summer, Parrish threw a complete game shutout and helped herself out by hitting a walkoff home run to deep left field.
The Mechanicsville, Va. native looks to ride this momentum into her second season in Chapel Hill where she hit .500 in eight at bats and threw 40.2 innings as a pitcher earning a 4-1 record and one save as a freshman.
Her team, the Manatee Impact opens the playoffs Thursday at 2 p.m. as the four seed against the winner of the 5/12 matchup.
Fellow Tar Heel Skylar Young is also in the playoffs with the two seed Aquanauts. They play following the 2 p.m. game against the winner of the 7/10 matchup.
NIL
Syrja Selected to CSC Academic All
Story Links CSC Academic All America MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Junior Lauri Syrja of the West Virginia University rifle team has been named to the 2024-25 Academic All-America Division I Men’s At-Large Second Team, announced by College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Wednesday. Syrja is the eighth Mountaineer in program history to be named to the CSC Academic […]


MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Junior Lauri Syrja of the West Virginia University rifle team has been named to the 2024-25 Academic All-America Division I Men’s At-Large Second Team, announced by College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Wednesday.
Syrja is the eighth Mountaineer in program history to be named to the CSC Academic All-America second Team. With his honor, West Virginia rifle has now seen 13 different shooters earn 26 total CSC Academic All-America honors since 1984. Twenty of those honors have come under Head Coach Jon Hammond‘s leadership.
A native of Maakeski, Finland, Syrja is one of 13 student-athletes on this year’s Division I Second Team to earn a 3.7-grade point average (GPA) or higher.
On the range, Syrja owns three All-America honors from the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) and has been named to the All-GARC Teams three times during his first two seasons at West Virginia.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVURifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
NIL
Texas Tech Softball Star NiJaree Canady Lands NIL Deal with Venmo
Coming off one successful first season with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, NiJaree Canady’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) portfolio is growing. Venmo announced in a press release on Tuesday morning that they are launching Big 12-branded debit cards for students, alumni, and fans from participating schools to celebrate their school pride and receive rewards […]

Coming off one successful first season with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, NiJaree Canady’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) portfolio is growing.
Venmo announced in a press release on Tuesday morning that they are launching Big 12-branded debit cards for students, alumni, and fans from participating schools to celebrate their school pride and receive rewards and exclusive access across campus and on game days.
Three athletes, including Canady, Olivia Miles, and Sam Leavitt, will serve as brand ambassadors throughout the 2025-26 season and they will showcase ways to spend money and earn rewards with the branded Venmo debit cards.
While promoting Venmo, Canady will receive a portion of her NIL payments into her Venmo account to showcase the smoothness of spending through the Venmo app.
“I take pride in helping pave the way for the next generation of female athletes,” Canady said in the press release. “This partnership with Venmo will help create real financial empowerment for athletes, and I’m excited to help them break new ground as part of it. I already use Venmo all the time, and now with the Texas Tech Venmo Debit Card, it will be easier than ever to put my NIL earnings to work in ways that matter to me and support Red Raider Nation at the same time.”
This Venmo partnership is in addition to Canady’s several other NIL deals, including Texas Tech’s collective, the Matador Club, promoting softball equipment from Easton and Rawlings, and Patrick Mahomes’ NIL group through Adidas. She is also an ambassador for the future of the game and will speak at the Empowering Girls For Life conference for the second year in a row in August.
Help us send a HUGE thank you to Tracy Sellers and the @MatadorClubOrg!
Hot off the #WCWS, the Matador Club’s sponsorship allows us to giveaway more scholarships, and hear from two incredible speakers – Tracy and @CanadyNijaree! Are you registered yet? https://t.co/jlSGb6uoKi pic.twitter.com/Zqdr1NGE2T
— Empowering Girls for Life (@GirlsPower4Life) June 19, 2025
Canady’s NIL deals have certainly changed the game of softball and have brought loads of attention to Texas Tech. She was the first college softball player to make $1 million and recently signed another seven-figure NIL contract with the Matador Club.
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Pet fitness and wellness trends for a healthier and happier dog
-
College Sports2 weeks ago
WAC to Rebrand to UAC, Add Five New Members in 2026
-
Motorsports1 week ago
Why Cosmetics are Making Up for Lost Time in Women’s Sports
-
College Sports3 weeks ago
Women's Basketball Thanks Shannon LeBeauf for 14 Seasons
-
Professional Sports3 weeks ago
Alex Pereira responds to rumors of UFC heavyweight title fight with threatening message
-
College Sports3 weeks ago
Alabama Basketball
-
Professional Sports2 weeks ago
Francis Ngannou sends Dana White a message following Jon Jones' shock UFC retirement
-
College Sports2 weeks ago
A new era of Dickinson hockey begins behind the bench – The Dickinson Press
-
Motorsports2 weeks ago
NASCAR This Week – Patriot Publishing LLC
-
Sports2 weeks ago
SEC Conference imposing a fine will create the opposite effect.