Some college sports fans will tell you that they support the concept of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). Others will tell you that true amateurism should have remained the standard in collegiate athletics. And there are plenty of people, athletic background or not, on both sides of the aisle.

Take Eli Manning. In May 2024, he teamed with Jaxson Dart to raise money for his alma mater’s NIL collective. His general feeling on NIL when it was first introduced, though, paints a picture opposite to that of his future partnership.

“I know how immature I was at 20 years old and I wouldn’t have spent it the right ways. It scares me from that perspective, it scares me from chemistry of the locker room with some guys getting endorsements and if they’re not playing well, how his teammates will handle that.”

Manning has every right to change his mind, especially after experiencing three seasons with NIL. His adaptation of his mindset demonstrates an understanding of the nuance required for NIL debates.

When discussing NIL as a whole, you can’t limit the conversation to future NFL and NBA stars. There are thousands of players in countless other sports, not to mention football and basketball themselves, that will never get professional contracts, let alone generational wealth.

This is why Patrick Mahomes told CNBC’s Alex Sherman that NIL is a boon for college athletics.

“At the end of the day, I think it’s a good thing that players are getting paid. I mean… you’re bringing so much money to a university. There has to be a way that you can earn a profit. It doesn’t have to be a huge profit… it’s cool to see people that might not have the ability to earn this money at any other point of their life… being able to change their families.” 

Non-athletes can use their talents to generate revenue while in college. Prior to NIL, universities saw immediate returns on a team’s hard work while the athletes pocketed nothing.

It wasn’t fair to the players. NIL took some of that power and redistributed it to them. So it’s good that Mahomes and others are recognizing that NIL’s main mission is being accomplished.

UConn women’s basketball stars Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong will be among the new collegiate faces of Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league launched by Huskies legends Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier in 2025, after signing NIL deals with the organization.

Fudd and Strong announced they will be a part of the league’s 14-player NIL class this season during an event at WNBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis on Saturday. The UConn duo appeared at Unrivaled’s All-Star headquarters alongside LSU star Flau’jae Johnson, who signed a deal with the league last year. Johnson and former UConn star Paige Bueckers launched the league’s “The Future is Unrivaled” campaign in Dec. 2024, and Bueckers is expected to compete in Unrivaled this upcoming season after completing her rookie year in the WNBA with the Dallas Wings.

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The new class of NIL athletes also includes USC’s JuJu Watkins, UCLA’s Lauren and Sienna Betts and Kiki Rice, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, Texas’s Madison Booker, Iowa State’s Audi Crooks, LSU’s MiLaysia Fulwiley, TCU’s Olivia Miles, South Carolina’s Ta’Niya Latson and Michigan’s Syla Swords.

Johnson and Bueckers, like every professional player who competes in Unrivaled, received an investment stake in the league as part of their agreements, so the same will likely be true for the 2025 NIL signees. Watkins is also already part of Unrivaled’s star-studded investor group, which includes UConn coach Geno Auriemma, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, NBA stars Steph Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo, 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps and USWNT legend Alex Morgan.

Unrivaled exceeded expectations in 2025, reportedly generating more than $27 million in revenue and nearly breaking even in its inaugural season. The league averaged 221,000 viewers on TNT during the regular season and the playoffs, and the championship saw a significant increase drawing 364,000 viewers. Unrivaled also paid its 36 players an average of $220,000, which is higher than the WNBA’s regular maximum salary in 2025.

Fudd has always had a national presence as the former No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2021, but she joins Unrivaled amid a spike in popularity following UConn’s run to the NCAA Championship. The redshirt senior’s first three college seasons were heavily impacted by injuries, but she completed a triumphant comeback from an ACL tear in 2024-25 and was recognized as the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Fudd’s NIL portfolio includes partnerships with Bose, TurboTax, skincare brand Paula’s Choice and hair color brand Madison Reed among others. She also announced Thursday that she is hosting a new podcast on the iHeart Radio network titled “Fudd Around and Find Out,” the viral phrase that her mother Katie wore on a t-shirt during the national title game.

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Strong is also a rising star in the college game after coming to UConn as the No. 1 ranked recruit in the 2024 class and winning WBCA Freshman of the Year in 2025. She had a historic first season with the Huskies, making the All-Final Four team and breaking the record for most points by a freshman ever in an NCAA Tournament. Unrivaled will be one of Strong’s most prominent NIL deals to date, but she has also partnered with Epic Games and VKTRY, a performance shoe insole for athletes.

Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis guard Sincere Parker was arrested Saturday on an aggravated assault charge for an attack on his girlfriend, who told police that he choked her and hit her, according to court documents.

The woman told police that the attack occurred on May 27 at the Memphis apartment the couple shared. She reported that Parker pushed her, slapped her in the face and choked her, leaving her bruised and bloodied, according to a police report.

The woman also told police that Parker broke her cellphone because he didn’t want her to have the digital key to the apartment.

A warrant for Parker’s arrest was issued Friday and the 22-year-old was taken into custody Saturday. An arraignment was scheduled for Monday on charges of felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor vandalism.

It was not immediately clear whether Parker had an attorney.

The 6-foot-3 Parker transferred to Memphis after averaging 12.2 points last season for McNeese, helping the Cowboys and coach Will Wade reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He played his first two seasons for Saint Louis.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll

JuJu Watkins, Flau’Jae Johnson and Azzi Fudd are three of 14 top women’s college basketball players that Unrivaled is signing to name, image and likeness deals, the league announced Saturday.

It’s the second consecutive year that the 3-on-3 league that was founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart has had NIL with college players. In its inaugural season, Unrivaled had deals with Paige Bueckers and Johnson.

Watkins, who plays for USC but is sidelined with an ACL injury, has also previously been involved with Unrivaled as an investor in its Series A funding round.

Johnson, who is at LSU, and Fudd, at UConn, both were on hand for the announcement, as were Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and UConn’s Sarah Strong.

Other players signed include TCU’s Olivia Miles, UCLA’s Kiki Rice and Lauren and Sienna Betts, Texas’ Madison Booker, Iowa State’s Audi Crooks, LSU’s MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina’s Ta’Niya Latson and Michigan’s Syla Swords. The players range from sophomores to seniors.

Women’s basketball players have been able to take advantage of NIL opportunities over the last few years with Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Bueckers and Johnson at the forefront of it. Reese played in Unrivaled in its first season.

[MORE: Top 10 Women’s College Basketball Players with the Highest NIL Valuations]

As part of the initiative, the class will be attending a multi-day event at the league’s headquarters in Miami, which will include skill development and content shoots.

“This transformational, first-of-its-kind initiative brings together the best of the best and reflects our deep commitment to elevating the women’s game and holistically supporting athletes,” Luke Cooper, President of Basketball Operations at Unrivaled, said in the initiative’s announcement. “Investing in elite women’s basketball talent is central to Unrivaled’s mission.”

Unrivaled completed its inaugural season this past March, and is gearing up for its second this coming January.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Nick Mingione continues to fill out Kentucky baseball’s 2026 roster through the portal.

On Thursday night, Belmont right-handed pitcher Will Pryor announced he’s transferring to play for the Wildcats. A 6-foot-2 rising redshirt junior, the Tennessee native pitched 140.1 innings across his three seasons with the Bruins, posting 146 strikeouts with a 9-7 record and an ERA of 4.94 in 36 total appearances. As a sophomore in 2024, his opponents batted just .239 while his 62 strikeouts led the team.

“God is so good! I am blessed and beyond excited to announce that I’m continuing my college career at the University of Kentucky,” Pryor wrote on social media. “I want to thank the coaches for this amazing opportunity and my whole support system that’s helped me through this process. I am fired up to be a part of Big Blue Nation! Go Cats!”

Pryor will have two years of eligibility remaining at Kentucky. He becomes the 13th portal addition this offseason for Mingione and Co.