Will Wade’s work building N.C. State into an immediate winner included the pursuit of an entrant in the NBA draft, just in case he returned to college.
NIL
NIL money reshaping the NBA draft
McNeese State head coach Will Wade calls to his players during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament March 20 in Providence, R.I.
It wasn’t a huge risk: With all the cash flowing in college, the number of early entrants to the NBA draft has continued to shrink. This year’s draft starts Wednesday night with its lowest total of those prospects in at least 10 years.
“Now you can play the long game a little bit more,” Wade told The Associated Press, referring to how college players can look at their futures. “Look, I can get paid the same I would get paid in the G League, the same I would get paid on a two-way (contract), some guys are getting first-round money.”
And more money is on the way.
It’s been four years since college athletes were permitted to profit off the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL), opening the door for athlete compensation that was once forbidden by NCAA rules. July 1 marks the official start of revenue sharing where schools can begin directly paying athletes following the $2.8 billion House antitrust settlement.
People are also reading…
Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams (5) celebrates during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Florida on March 29 in San Francisco.
For Wade, that led to signing Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams after 247sports’ fifth-ranked transfer withdrew from the draft.
“Basically now if you’re an early entry and you’re not a top-20, top-22 pick — where the money slots — you can pretty much make that in college,” the new Wolfpack coach said.
It’s all part of a seismic change that has rippled through college athletics since the pandemic, its impact touching the NBA. Players willing to “test the waters” in the draft before returning to school now have a lucrative option to consider against uncertain pro prospects.
Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon addresses the media before introducing J.B. Bickerstaff as the new head coach of the NBA team July 10, 2024, in Detroit.
“With all the money that’s being thrown around in NIL, you’re having a lot less players put their names in,” Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said. “You’re having pretty good players pulling their names out.”
This year’s drop is significant compared to the years before anyone heard of COVID-19. There was a spike of college players jumping into the draft in the pandemic’s aftermath, when they were granted a free eligibility year to temporarily make even a fourth-year senior an “early” entrant.
But those numbers fell as those five-year players cycled out of college basketball, and they’re now below pre-pandemic levels. That decline coincides with NIL’s July 2021 arrival, from athletes doing paid appearances or social-media endorsements to boosters forming collectives offering NIL packages amounting to de facto salaries.
As a result:
• Eighty-two players appeared on the NBA’s list of early entrants primarily from American colleges with a smattering of other teams, down 49% from 2024 (162) and nearly 47% compared to the four-year average from 2016-19 (153.5);
Duke head coach Jon Scheyer answers a question during media day at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament April 3 in San Antonio.
• Thirty-two remained after withdrawal deadlines, down from 62 last year and 72.0 from 2016-19;
• Adding international prospects, 109 players declared for the draft, down from 201 last year and 205.0 from 2016-19;
Duke coach Jon Scheyer understands draft dynamics, both for no-doubt headliners and prospects facing less clarity. He sees college athlete compensation as a “legitimate gamechanger.”
“Hopefully it allows players to decide what’s truly best for their game,” Scheyer told the AP. “It allows them to analyze: ‘Am I actually ready for this or not?’ Where money doesn’t have to be the deciding factor. Because if money’s the deciding factor, that’s why you see kids not stick. The NBA’s cutthroat. It just is.”
The Blue Devils are expected to have three players selected in the first-round Wednesday, including presumptive No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg alongside top-10 prospects Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach. They also had players sorting through draft decisions.
“There’s no substituting the money you’re going to make if you’re a top-15, top-20 pick,” said Scheyer, entering Year 4 as successor to retired Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski. “But if you’re not solidified as a first-round pick, why risk it when you can have a solid year and a chance to go up or be in the same position the following season?”
Langdon, himself a former Duke first-rounder, sees that evolution, too.
His Pistons had their first playoff appearance since 2019, but lack a first-round selection and own a single pick in Thursday’s second round. Fewer candidates could make the already imperfect science of drafting even trickier in this new reality.
According to the NBA’s 2024-25 rookie scale, a player going midway through the first round would make roughly $3.5 million in first-year salary. That figure would drop to about $2.8 million at pick No. 20, $2.3 million at No. 25 and $2.1 million with the 30th and final first-round draftee.
A minimum first-year NBA salary? Roughly $1.2 million.
“These NIL packages are starting to get up to $3 to $4 to $5 to $6 million dollars,” Langdon said. “These guys are not going to put their name in to be the 25th pick, or even the 18th pick. They are going to go back to school in hopes of being a lottery pick next year.”
Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, center, drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers center Thomas Bryant (3) during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series June 5 in Oklahoma City.
Indiana Pacers big man Thomas Bryant and Oklahoma City Thunder counterpart Isaiah Hartenstein, who both played in the seven-game NBA Finals that ended Sunday, illustrate Langdon’s point.
They were back-to-back second-rounders in 2017 (Bryant at 42, Hartenstein at 43), pushed down a draft board featuring early-entry college players in 33 of the 41 picks before them.
Bryant played two college seasons at Indiana before stints with five NBA teams, including Denver’s 2023 championship squad. Would the ability to make college money have changed his journey?
“To be honest, I see it from both sides,” Bryant said. “If you’re not going to get drafted, you understand that a kid needs money to live in college and everything. So, I understand where they’re coming from on that end.
“But for me, I took the chance. I bet on myself, and I believed in myself, and I worked to the very end. And the thing about me is that if I went down, I was going down swinging. I hang my hat on that. For some, it might not be the same case.”
The American-born Hartenstein moved to Germany at 11 and played in Lithuania before being drafted. As he put it: “I think everyone’s journey is different.”
Highest-paid players in the NBA
Highest-paid players in the NBA
The days when most NBA stars played for the same teams throughout their careers are over. With players often signing short-term contracts or long-term deals that include opt-out clauses, the culture has become one of total player empowerment. The stars have a say in where, with whom, and for how much money they will play.
Stacker compiled a list of the 20 highest-paid players using 2024-25 data from Hoops Hype. Players were ranked according to their guaranteed salaries. Interestingly, half of the 10 highest-paid stars play on two teams: the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers are among three teams (along with the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks) with two players on the 20-player list. Only the Suns have three players on it, yet they lost in the first round of the 2023-24 playoffs and haven’t been to the NBA Finals in four years. Apparently, money can’t buy titles.
Wondering how the highest-earning players stack up financially against their major sports counterparts? The highest-paid NBA star, making $55.8 million, outearns the NFL’s #1 earner, the Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, who will make $49.1 million this season, and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani’s $46.1 million, the top MLB earner.
The NBA’s riches reach deeper, too. The NFL’s 20th-highest salary is $25.6 million per year and MLB’s is $29.3 million. The NBA’s 20th-highest salary is a staggering $42.8 million. At least from the standpoint of player salaries, there is no better sport than hoops.
You may also like: The worst NBA draft classes
#20. Fred VanVleet
– Team: Houston Rockets
– Salary: $42,846,615
Despite helping Wichita State to the Final Four as a freshman in 2013, Fred VanVleet went undrafted by the NBA in 2016. The Toronto Raptors gave him a chance, though, and he improved steadily during seven seasons, highlighted by a career-high 20.3 points per game in 2021-22, which earned him an All-Star nod. The Houston Rockets took notice and signed him in 2023 to a three-year contract that doubled his salary. In his first year, his scoring average dropped to 17.4 points per game, his worst since 2018-19.
#17. Trae Young (tie)
– Team: Atlanta Hawks
– Salary: $43,031,940
After Trae Young established himself as a star—averaging 19.1 points and 8.1 assists per game as a rookie in 2018-19—the Atlanta Hawks gave him a five-year, $207 million contract extension in 2021. He’s averaged 26.9 points and 10.2 assists per game since, and he’s already a three-time All-Star after just six seasons. His consistent individual success, however, hasn’t led to much team success, as the Hawks have only advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs once during his time with the team.
#17. Zach LaVine (tie)
– Team: Chicago Bulls
– Salary: $43,031,940
Zach LaVine is no Michael Jordan, but he is carrying on the MJ tradition as a solid scorer and flashy dunker for the Chicago Bulls. He’s also a two-time All-Star and a two-time Slam Dunk Contest winner. Rewarded for his consistent scoring with a five-year, $215 million contract in 2022, his production fell off during the 2023-24 season, as he averaged only 19.5 points per game, his lowest mark in six years—though he was injured for much of the campaign, playing only 25 contests.
#17. Luka Doncic (tie)
– Team: Dallas Mavericks
– Salary: $43,031,940
Each year has been a stepping stone to greatness for Slovenian Luka Dončić, the Rookie of the Year in 2018-19, a first-time All-Star and playoff participant in 2019-20, and a Western Conference finalist in 2021-22. His all-around stellar play earned him the richest rookie contract extension in NBA history: $207 million for five years. He has responded with even better stats, averaging a career-high 33.9 points and 9.8 assists per game to lead the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals in the 2023-24 season. Oh, and he tossed in a 73-point game in January.
#16. Anthony Davis
– Team: Los Angeles Lakers
– Salary: $43,219,440
The Los Angeles Lakers gave Anthony Davis a three-year, $186 million contract extension in 2023, the highest annual average in league history. He responded by silencing the critics who complained about his frequent injuries, playing more games (76) in 2023-24 than in any season of his 12-year career. His 24.7 points per game exceeded his career average (24.0), and his 12.6 rebounds per game far exceeded his career average (10.4). It still wasn’t enough to get the Lakers to the second round of the playoffs, even with a certain teammate named LeBron James, but getting past Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets is no easy feat.
You may also like: The 10 best NBA player performances in the FIBA World Cup
#15. Rudy Gobert
– Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
– Salary: $43,827,586
Rudy Gobert spent nine years using his 7-foot-1 height to snag rebounds for the Utah Jazz and led the league in 2021-22 with 14.7 per game—and he hasn’t missed a beat since moving to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota picked up the five-year, $205 million contract extension he signed with the Jazz in 2020. On the strength of 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, he was named Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time after the 2023-24 season and helped the Timberwolves reach the Western Conference Finals.
#14. LeBron James
– Team: Los Angeles Lakers
– Salary: $48,728,845
Because basketball stars are considered to be past their primes after 30, it would seem that a player who will turn 40 by the end of the year shouldn’t rank so high on this list. But, LeBron James is a man as ageless and critical to his team’s success as fellow senior Tom Brady was in the NFL. The NBA’s current oldest player, “King James” justified his two-year, $101 million contract extension that will keep him with the Los Angeles Lakers by averaging 25.7 points per game and leading L.A. into the 2023-24 playoffs.
#12. Damian Lillard (tie)
– Team: Milwaukee Bucks
– Salary: $48,787,676
Damian Lillard hoped to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals, but after 11 futile years, he finally decided to take his shooting magic elsewhere. Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks before the 2023-24 season and could earn $216 million over four years. He averaged 24.3 points per game in his first campaign with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Bucks compiled a 49-33 record, though they lost in the first round of the playoffs. One of the league’s greatest shooters ever, Lillard became the first player to win the All-Star Game MVP and Three-Point Contest titles in the same season.
#12. Giannis Antetokounmpo (tie)
– Team: Milwaukee Bucks
– Salary: $48,787,676
Giannis Antetokounmpo was the NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in 2019-20, meriting a five-year, $228 million contract extension—the heftiest in history at the time (it now ranks seventh). He earned every penny by leading the Bucks to their first championship in 50 years and being named the 2020-21 Finals MVP in the process. Though Milwaukee hasn’t advanced to the conference finals since then, the Greek Freak has been a model of consistency, tallying impressive averages of 30.5 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game in the three seasons since.
#11. Jimmy Butler
– Team: Miami Heat
– Salary: $48,798,677
Jimmy Butler may be 35, but he’s shown that he deserved the four-year, $184 million contract extension the Miami Heat gave him in 2021. His age didn’t prevent him from his second-best scoring season in 2022-23 when he averaged 22.9 points per game to go with 5.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists and played a pivotal role in the team’s NBA Finals appearance. He topped 20 points per game for the eighth time in his career in 2023-24, perhaps setting himself up for another contract extension in 2025.
You may also like: Biggest March Madness upsets since 1982
#6. Karl-Anthony Towns (tie)
– Team: New York Knicks
– Salary: $49,205,800
Karl-Anthony Towns earned Rookie of the Year honors on the strength of 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015-16—and he’s averaged better than 20 points and eight rebounds in every season since. His four-year, $224 million contract extension from 2022 was picked up by the New York Knicks when they landed him in an October trade for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, among others. Towns became a four-time All-Star in 2023-24 and teamed up with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert to lead Minnesota to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in two decades.
#6. Kawhi Leonard (tie)
– Team: Los Angeles Clippers
– Salary: $49,205,800
After missing the 2021-22 season following ACL surgery, Kawhi Leonard made up for lost time with two solid seasons, averaging 23.8 points per game in 2022-23 and 23.7 in 2023-24. That was good enough to persuade the Los Angeles Clippers to hand him a three-year, $152 million contract extension, keeping the two-time NBA Finals MVP (San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors) and two-time Defensive Player of the Year with the team until he’s 36. If he can lead the Clippers to the NBA Finals, he will have the chance to become the second player after LeBron James to win NBA Finals MVP honors for three different teams.
#6. Paul George (tie)
– Team: Philadelphia 76ers
– Salary: $49,205,800
The Philadelphia 76ers’ big offseason acquisition, Paul George will wear #8 as a tribute to Philly native Kobe Bryant. The team signed him to a four-year, $212 million contract in July after he averaged over 21 points and five rebounds per game for nine straight years. George and Joel Embiid hope to get the Sixers over the hump and into the conference finals for the first time since 2000-01. George, the 2012-13 Most Improved Player, is a nine-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, and four-time All-Defensive standout.
#6. Jaylen Brown (tie)
– Team: Boston Celtics
– Salary: $49,205,800
Jaylen Brown was one of the two stars of the 2023-24 NBA Finals, leading the Boston Celtics to victory along with longtime teammate Jayson Tatum (whose even larger contract extension begins in 2025-26). Brown was named the Finals MVP, averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game and turning in a strong defensive effort. His five-year contract steps up to $65 million in 2028-29. He has earned votes for Most Improved Player three separate times and in 2022-23 landed his first All-NBA nod.
#6. Devin Booker (tie)
– Team: Phoenix Suns
– Salary: $49,205,800
Devin Booker has improved almost every year since the Phoenix Suns drafted him in 2015. He’s averaged 27.2 points per game over the last three seasons, and his 6.9 assists per game during the 2023-24 season marked a career high. The team rewarded the 6-foot-6 guard with a four-year, $224 million contract extension in 2022—which he deserved after becoming only the seventh player to score 40 points in back-to-back NBA Finals games in 2021. Still just 27 years old, Booker has been on an All-NBA team in two of the last three seasons.
You may also like: 5 charts that break down the NBA’s new media rights deal
#5. Bradley Beal
– Team: Phoenix Suns
– Salary: $50,203,930
Bradley Beal’s first season with the Phoenix Suns after an 11-year run with the Washington Wizards wasn’t exactly sunny. Phoenix took over his five-year, $251 million contract only to see Beal’s production in 2023-24 drop to its lowest point in eight years. He averaged just 18.2 points per game and fared even worse in four playoff games, with 16.5 points. The Suns’ addition in 2023 of scoring machine Kevin Durant, however, partly explains the drop-off. The sharpshooting Beal recorded back-to-back seasons with 30 points per game in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
#4. Kevin Durant
– Team: Phoenix Suns
– Salary: $51,179,020
Kevin Durant remains a force at 36. His 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game in his first full season with the Phoenix Suns justified their confidence in taking on his four-year, $194 million contract from the Brooklyn Nets. He performed nearly as well in the 2023-24 postseason (26.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.3 APG), though not well enough for the team to avoid a sweep by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. The 14-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP (for the Golden State Warriors) has averaged 29.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in his 17-year NBA career.
#2. Nikola Jokic (tie)
– Team: Denver Nuggets
– Salary: $51,415,938
The value of Nikola Jokić to the Denver Nuggets is immeasurable, though it’s fair to say his five-year, $276 million contract, which runs through 2027-28, was a bargain. The reigning and three-time NBA MVP teamed with Jamal Murray to lead the Nuggets to the NBA title in 2022-23. They fell short during the 2023-24 postseason, but the Joker’s regular-season stats (26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists per game) ranked among his best, and he’s over a decade younger than LeBron James. He may not be the GOAT yet, but he could be well on the way.
#2. Joel Embiid (tie)
– Team: Philadelphia 76ers
– Salary: $51,415,938
The Philadelphia 76ers were keen to re-sign Joel Embiid, who missed his first two seasons in the league with a foot injury but has become one of the best centers in the game. Three years before his four-year, $213 million contract with the team was due to expire in 2027, he signed a three-year, $193 million extension through 2028-29. In his 10th season in 2023-24, the 7-footer averaged a career-best 34.7 points per game plus 11 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He won the MVP award in 2022-23 after back-to-back runner-up finishes.
#1. Stephen Curry
– Team: Golden State Warriors
– Salary: $55,761,217
While LeBron James has enjoyed a similarly decorated career, Stephen Curry changed the game. His magic from beyond the arc sparked a three-point shooting revolution, and he was the glue holding the Golden State Warriors together when they claimed four NBA titles in eight seasons from 2014-15 to 2021-22. At 36, the two-time NBA MVP—who is a 10-time All-NBA selection and two-time scoring champion as well—was given a contract extension by the Warriors that will boost his salary to nearly $63 million in 2026-27, all but guaranteeing he’ll never play for another team.
Data reporting by Karim Noorani. Story editing by Mike Taylor. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
You may also like: 10 youngest players in NBA history
Continue Reading
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes quarterback Byrd Ficklin (15) warms up on the field before Big-12 Football action between the Utah Utes and the Kansas State Wildcats at Rice-Eccles Stadium, on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025.
I enjoy college football, but the College Football Playoff Selection Committee just killed my postseason viewing. I’ll only watch the Utah Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl, but I’m supporting Notre Dame’s bowl boycott after it was cheated out of a spot in the College Football Playoff. The University of Alabama was chosen instead, despite having poorer performance stats and losing big in its conference championship game. The University of Miami was also elevated above Notre Dame despite its less impressive stats — with the exception of having narrowly beaten The Fighting Irish in the season opener.
In recent years, the National Collegiate Athletics Association has made a mess of college football, but if the NCAA wants to redeem itself, it could:
1. Expand the playoff to 16 teams with no byes which would have eliminated this year’s fiasco.
2. Realign conferences to have no more than ten teams. The conference champion would be the team with the best record in nine conference games. No conference championship game needed.
3. Eliminate publishing CFP rankings before the end of the season. The committee embarrasses itself when it reorders those without cause.
4. Put income limits on Name Image Likeness as it grossly enriches some players. NIL has turned college football into the NFL Lite.
5. Fix the transfer portal. Allow players only one transfer and perhaps a second if a coach moves on.
6. Convince the Heisman Trophy Trust to award its statue at the end of the playoffs eliminating the embarrassment when an awardee fizzles in postseason play.
7. Consider eliminating conferences altogether. Create leagues of 60 or so teams in upper and lower divisions like European sports are structured with fluidity between the divisions based on teams’ previous year’s performance.
To do all this would just require some good will.
Jim Catano, Salt Lake City
Submit a letter to the editor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nick Saban knows his strengths with seven national championships as a college football coach. He also understands how to put coaches and athletes in the best position to succeed.
That’s what he hopes to bring to the NHL’s Nashville Predators after joining the franchise as a minority owner.
“I’m no expert in hockey, so don’t look at me like I’m going to make some huge impact coaching around here because that’s not going to happen,” Saban said Monday. “But I do have a pretty good idea of what it takes to have successful organizations.”
Saban made his first appearance Monday in his new role as a minority owner alongside Predators chairman Bill Haslam.
The Predators announced Saban’s purchase Dec. 16 through Dream Sports Ventures LLC, an entity controlled by Saban and business partner Joe Agresti. That business group features 10 car dealerships, including two in Nashville.
Haslam, a former Tennessee governor, was working on a possible WNBA expansion franchise when Saban told the Predators controlling owner that he also might be interested in hockey.
“I thought, ‘Well, that’s the greatest no brainer of all time,’” Haslam said. “You have somebody who understands building a championship culture, who understands, I think, better than almost anybody in sports the process that’s needed to get to where you can compete as a champion.”
Saban grew up in West Virginia with no hockey around. He became interested in hockey when coaching at Michigan State and became friends and shared ideas with that team’s coach. Saban called this an opportunity to be involved with a team for the first time since he announced his retirement Jan. 10, 2024.
So what will Saban bring to the NHL and the Predators in his newest role?
His experience building programs both in college football and six seasons in the NFL working for Bill Belichick in Cleveland and as head coach of Miami. A “transformational leader” as Saban put it. Once college football season ends, Saban said he will be involved as much as Haslam wants.
Saban already has spoken to coaches and some players during what he called a minicamp. Saban also has met a couple times with general manager Barry Trotz, saying his goal is to support Trotz and everyone else with the Predators.
Nashville won the Western Conference before losing the Stanley Cup Final in 2017 to Pittsburgh in six games. The Predators won the Presidents’ Trophy for the 2017-18 season but ranked 26th out of 32 NHL teams Monday five points back of the second wild-card spot in the West.
“To be a part of the hockey team here is something special, and we’d love to build it into a championship,” Saban said. “We’d love to partner with Mr. Haslam to do anything that we can do to help this organization be successful.”
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
NIL
Missouri linebacker Damon Wilson II accuses Georgia of illegal punishment in transfer portal lawsuit
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri pass rusher Damon Wilson II claims that the athletic department at Georgia is trying to illegally punish him for entering the transfer portal in a lawsuit filed by the linebacker in state court Tuesday in Boone County, Missouri.
Wilson transferred to the Tigers last January after signing a 14-month deal with Georgia’s booster collective to capitalize on his name, image and likeness. He received $30,000 in an initial payment on a $500,000 deal before entering the transfer portal.
Georgia filed a lawsuit last month claiming that Wilson owed its athletic department $390,000 in liquidated damages for leaving the team. Wilson’s countersuit claims that his former school is using such damages to “punish” him for his decision to leave.
Georgia spokesman Steve Drummond said the school had no comment because it involves pending litigation.
“When the University of Georgia Athletic Association enters binding agreements with student-athletes, we honor our commitments and expect student-athletes to do the same,” Drummond said upon the school’s initial lawsuit in early December.
Wilson had nine sacks and an interception this season for the Tigers. They will play Virginia in the Gator Bowl on Saturday.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCIV) — One day after South Carolina received word that star quarterback LaNorris Sellers was staying in town, another star said he plans to return to the fold.
Dylan Stewart, the Gamecocks’ star edge rusher, announced he is returning for his true junior season in 2026, according to Pete Thamel, ESPN’s college football insider.
Stewart has 11 sacks in his two seasons at South Carolina and has forced 6 fumbles. Among ESPN’s draft projections, he appears to be a top prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft.
READ MORE | “South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers stays put, vows stronger return for 2026 season.”
The former five-star recruit and rising SEC pass rusher chose continuity over the transfer portal, agreeing to an NIL deal that places him among the highest compensated non-quarterbacks in college football, according to ESPN’s reporting.
South Carolina’s defense is back in reliable hands, as the Gamecocks ready themselves to bounceback from a 4-8 season.
After the pitiful finish, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer shook up his coaching staff.
South Carolina is also expected to hire Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes as the defensive end and outside linebacker coach.
He’s been Penn State’s defensive line coach the past three years and worked with the line there since 2020. He coached Abdul Carter, Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
READ MORE | “South Carolina to kick off 2026 football season at home against Kent State.”
NIL
Michigan coaching search: Rece Davis advises Wolverines to keep waiting if they want Kalen DeBoer
Until Michigan officially hires a head coach, the name Kalen DeBoer is going to be mentioned with the search. Even after DeBoer released statements saying he would stay with Alabama, rumors are out there. Folks in Ann Arbor might have been cheering for Oklahoma on Friday night to potentially speed up the process.
Instead, Alabama is heading to the Rose Bowl to face Indiana on Jan. 1. So, if DeBoer was going to be Michigan’s hire, the wait will continue. Which is exactly what ESPN’s Rece Davis believes the Wolverines should be doing in this situation.
“From Michigan’s standpoint, if that’s the guy you want, wait,” Davis said via the College GameDay Podcast. “If it takes waiting until they finish, if they were to upset Indiana, wait if that’s the guy you want. Why settle? One portal class, one recruiting class is not worth settling for a program like Michigan. Now, I understand the concept that there’s no guarantee you’re going to get him. I get that. But if you are convicted that this is your guy, wait it out. See what happens, push forward.”
If Alabama were to win in Pasadena, the next College Football Playoff date would be Jan. 8 or 9. A run to the national championship means DeBoer would not be done coaching the 2025 season until Jan. 19. But Davis mentions no singular NCAA transfer portal and/or recruiting class is as important as getting the right guy for Michigan.
When it comes down to it, Davis does not think DeBoer will leave Tuscaloosa this offseason. Those released statements were viewed as pretty telling in Davis’s eyes. And at the end of the day, DeBoer is still looking to prove to be the guy who can replace Nick Saban at Alabama.
“I do not think Kalen DeBoer will take the job,” Davis said. “Ultimately, because I don’t think he wants to be perceived as running from what he ran to. Michigan’s a great job. If he does, he does, and great for him if that’s what he decides. I don’t think he will end up doing that. Maybe he will.”
The latest update on where the Michigan coaching search came from On3’s Pete Nakos on Saturday. Nakos outlined who the top candidates are at the moment, mainly after Kenny Dillingham signed an extension to stay in Tempe with the Arizona State Sun Devils not too long ago.
Georgia Bulldogs
Wilson’s lawsuit states that UGA’s attempt to collect the $390K lump sum was a ‘strong-arm tactic.’
Damon Wilson II played 417 defensive snaps for UGA during the 2024-25 season. He transferred to Missouri. (Jason Getz / AJC)
Damon Wilson ll, who transferred from Georgia to Missouri, is suing the University of Georgia Athletic Association and the Classic City Collective claiming the term sheet he signed to remain with the program is not a legally binding agreement.
The 42-page lawsuit, acquired by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution after it was filed in the circuit court of Boone County, Mo. on Tuesday, seeks to grant Wilson relief from UGA seeking a $390,000 lump sum it claims Wilson owes by contract and hold defendants liable for “damages sufficient to compensate him for the financial and reputational harm” suffered.
hcihw saw saw rednu ot ot setats dengis stcelfer diap eno no fo htnom gnisnecil sih gnilif seef lauqe noitatnemucod ,tcartnoc kcab nosliW s’AGU .ceD .ceD ,12 .4202 )4202 ,1 gnitad( ,000,03$
nihtiw htiw nehw latot ot ot eht eht eht eht eht eht maet mus dengis skees redniamer krowrepap fo fo fo shtnom pmul gnisnecil tfel .tiuswal sti si rof tsrif delif eef eud syad eb ,tnemeerga gnidrocca nosliW AGU ehT aigroeG 03 41 000,093$
a“ — — tuohtiw hcihw egap-eerht eht eht ”smret mret setats dengis teehs tes .tneserp reyalp fo gnidnib-non lagel ti remrof tiusretnuoc lesnuoc sniatnoc smialc s’nosliW aigroeG
”,gnidnatsrednu“ eb“ dluow dluow saw desu eht eht taht taht smret mret teehs tes gnihcaer rep krowrepap fo yllagel lagel ni ,delif gnidnib eb ”.tnemeerga a a s’nosliW LIN tI
emit“ htiw saw dlot ot ot eht eht eht eht mret maet ngis teehs lanifretrauq ecitcarp yalp no fo gnidael ,tiuswal ni mih mih eh emag ”,ecnesse seeyolpme deunitnoc erofeb dna tsniaga s’nosliW AAGU raguS ffoyalP reP ertoN .naJ llabtooF .emaD egelloC ’sgodlluB lwoB 2
nettirw gniwardhtiw wardhtiw yletamitlu refsnart ot ot eht eht eht eht eht maet loohcs dedeecorp latrop no no fo eciton txen gnivael noitnetni sih evig emag morf deretne .yad erofeb dna retfa nosliW AGU .naJ .naJ ,6 31
gniwonk“ pord“ ot ot ot semit eht ”,smaet setats lliks esacwohs tes emehcs deriuqer latrop dedeen tiuswal otni sih sih mih eh dah lluf retne evisnefed noisiced ”.egarevoc egnahc emac kcab ta sa retfa a s’nosliW s’AGU LFN
”kcaJ“ htiw esoht eht spans nosaes hsur nur .noitisop deyalp rep ssap ssap fo rekcabenil ni ni ni sih morf rof gnirud evisnefed ,esnefed egarevoc dna nosliW AGU orP llabtooF ,sucoF 84 714 612 52-4202 351
ot“ mra-gnorts“ detanidrooc“ htiw saw ,refsnart ot ot eht eht eht eht taht taht mret ”citcat mus setats teehs secivres gnizilaer hsinup tneverp ,latrop nepo fo pmul ”.gnisnecil tiuswal erefretni ni deifitnedi sih sih mih morf eerf rof rof gniretne ”troffe noititepmoc tcelloc yb stifeneb nageb tpmetta citelhta dna dna dna osla ytiliba a a s’nosliW nosliW s’AGU AAGU LIN
htiw htiw erehw nehw detaloiv ,refsnart ot ot esoht eht smret mret teehs ylcilbup snoisivorp smargorp smargorp rehto fo detneserpersim rojam edam ,tiuswal snoissucsid gnisolcsid ediced tcatnoc ytilaitnedifnoc yb .tuoyub nageb dna dna osla tnemeerga a a s’nosliW nosliW AAGU reP
ot eht eht tnemetats nosrepsekops no deussi gniwollof AGU :yadseuT CJA A
sihT“ ew ”.emit siht gnidnep on rettam ,noitagitil sevlovni evah tnemmoc ta dna
nehW“ htiw ew ot ot eht eht taht ,setelhta-tneduts setelhta-tneduts tnemetats nosrepsekops ”.emas :dias suoiverp detniop ruo fo ronoh tcepxe sretne od stnemtimmoc gnidnib dna osla stnemeerga a ytisrevinU ehT aigroeG citelhtA noitaicossA
Mike is in his 10th season covering SEC and Georgia athletics for AJC-DawgNation and has 25 years of CFB experience. Mike is a Heisman Trophy voter and former Football Writers President who was named the National FWAA Beat Writer of the Year in January, 2018.
Motorsports2 minutes ago
IHRA Acquires Historic Motorsports Facility in Millington, Tennessee
NIL21 minutes ago
The NCAA has made a mess of college football. Here’s a remedy.
Sports29 minutes ago
Volleyball: Harrison County athletes named to All-East Texas volleyball team
Motorsports34 minutes ago
Pirelli 2025 Formula 1 Season in Review
Sports45 minutes ago
Watertown High School Announces Resignation of Head Volleyball Coach | Local News
Motorsports50 minutes ago
Daytona 500 field taking shape with two NASCAR icons back – Motorsport – Sports
Sports1 hour ago
Evans, Jones and Casale Sign with Houston Volleyball
Rec Sports1 hour ago
2026 Seahawks NFL FLAG regional tournament to be hosted in Everett
Technology1 hour ago
3D Glasses-Free Gaming Monitors : Samsung Odyssey 3D G90XH
Motorsports1 hour ago
MOTORSPORTS: Land of Legends releases ’26 schedule | Sports
Sports1 hour ago
Georgia Tech Student-Athletes Shatter Records in the Classroom – Athletics — Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Rec Sports1 hour ago
Obituary: Browne, Maribeth Miller
Rec Sports2 hours ago
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin supportive but doesn’t condone DK Metcalf’s actions
Rec Sports2 hours ago
Scotts Valley stays undefeated midway through the winter campaign
Rec Sports2 hours ago
Dairy Queen coming to Montgomery, AL. Opening date, location
Rec Sports4 weeks ago
Fargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
Motorsports4 weeks ago
CPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
Sports4 weeks ago
Sycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
Sports4 weeks ago
Utah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
Sports4 weeks ago
Two Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
Motorsports2 weeks ago
SoundGear Named Entitlement Sponsor of Spears CARS Tour Southwest Opener
Motorsports4 weeks ago
Jo Shimoda Undergoes Back Surgery
Motorsports4 weeks ago
Redemption Means First Pro Stock World Championship for Dallas Glenn
NIL3 weeks ago
Bowl Projections: ESPN predicts 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, full bowl slate after Week 14
Rec Sports3 weeks ago
Black Bear Revises Recording Policies After Rulebook Language Surfaces via Lever
Sports4 weeks ago
Texas volleyball vs Kentucky game score: Live SEC tournament updates
Rec Sports4 weeks ago
How this startup (and a KC sports icon) turned young players into card-carrying legends overnight
Motorsports2 weeks ago
Donny Schatz finds new home for 2026, inks full-time deal with CJB Motorsports – InForum
Rec Sports4 weeks ago
Robert “Bobby” Lewis Hardin, 56
NIL4 weeks ago
Indiana’s rapid ascent and its impact across college football
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoSoundGear Named Entitlement Sponsor of Spears CARS Tour Southwest Opener
-
Rec Sports3 weeks agoBlack Bear Revises Recording Policies After Rulebook Language Surfaces via Lever
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoDonny Schatz finds new home for 2026, inks full-time deal with CJB Motorsports – InForum
-
Rec Sports3 weeks agoHow Donald Trump became FIFA’s ‘soccer president’ long before World Cup draw
-
Rec Sports2 weeks agoDavid Blitzer, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
-
Motorsports3 weeks agoJR Motorsports Confirms Death Of NASCAR Veteran Michael Annett At Age 39
-
Sports2 weeks ago
Elliot and Thuotte Highlight Men’s Indoor Track and Field Season Opener
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoRick Ware Racing switching to Chevrolet for 2026
-
Sports2 weeks ago
West Fargo volleyball coach Kelsey Titus resigns after four seasons – InForum
-
Sports3 weeks agoTemple Begins Indoor Track & Field Season at UPenn This Weekend