Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

NIL

"Rolling Up in Ferraris"

Published

on

"Rolling Up in Ferraris"

For the longest time, college basketball in the United States was seen as a platform for athletes to make a name for themselves so they could play for the biggest franchises. The idea was simple. Use the platform to prove to sponsors and investors that you are capable of making them millions. The downside was that they were not getting paid for their efforts. All that changed in 2019, when the Supreme Court passed the ‘Fair Pay to Play Act’, allowing athletes to profit from NIL opportunities.

The next two years saw public support for players profiting from endorsements reach peak fever. And the NCAA officially made it a policy in July 2021. Since then, college athletes have managed to profit from the use of their name, image, and likeness.

However, there are critics too. Do people still complain that getting paid could destroy the ambition of college athletes? Yes. But here’s the flip side. Athletes who don’t make it to the big leagues are compensated for their blood, sweat, and tears.

Allisha Gray is one of the many who’ve weighed in on this topic. Appearing on the Club 520 podcast, the WNBA star joked that she would have been cruising in a Ferrari if NIL had existed back in her college days.

I would have used the money nicely,” Gray told the hosts. “Man, I would be dressed, rolling up in Ferraris and all that,” she added, lost in wishful thinking. Gray started playing college basketball in 2014. At this point, the public outcry to pay them was only beginning to gain some momentum.

When the host floated a hypothetical scenario in which Gray could have been paid about half a million dollars, he asked her if she would have blown through it all. Gray responded with a chuckle and said, “I’mma live the dream.”

Normally, a half-million-dollar amount sounds like a dream to a college athlete, but it is nowhere close to the biggest NIL deals that have been made.

According to reports, Duke star Cooper Flagg has made $28 million from NIL opportunities. “He had a $13 million deal with New Balance and then $15 million with Fanatics,” revealed longtime sports journalist Howard Bryant.

This is not to say that if Allisha had this kind of money or any other form of cash back then, she would have just led a lavish lifestyle. “I’mma look out for them too but you know I have got to treat myself nicely.

Gray also admitted that when she was getting into college and the offers were rolling in, she was happy to let her friends open the letters for her.

And then it got to a point where my dad was like, ‘All right, now like you need to narrow the list down and let these people know like where you have an idea going,‘” Gray laughed, noting, “And then once that happened, I chose the first college I was gonna go to.

Before anybody could respond, Gray beat everyone to the punch. “Everybody makes mistakes,” she admitted, still laughing. She undoubtedly learned from her mistakes while building a name for herself. Her WNBA career is proof of that.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NIL

College Basketball Rankings: Coaches Poll Top 25 updated after Week 8

Published

on


The USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll Top 25 has been refreshed following the eighth week of the season. It was a bit of a light week due to Christmas, but some showdowns still took place amid the holiday celebrations, resulting in some movement throughout the Top 25.

With conference play picking up this coming weekend, we’re getting into the nitty-gritty of the season, where the rankings will fluctuate week-in and week-out. While this past week was packed with tune-up games and not a ton of riveting action, that won’t be the case from now until April.

Regardless, the Coaches Poll Top 25 is certain to see plenty of movement. For now, here’s how things stack up after Week 8. This week’s updated rankings are below.

Michigan enjoyed a full week off and enters the week undefeated at 11–0. The Wolverines return to action with home games against McNeese State on Monday and USC on Friday.

Senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg has been the engine, stuffing the stat sheet with 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Michigan will look to stay perfect as conference play looms.

Arizona
Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona rolled past Bethune 107–71 last Monday to improve to 12–0 on the season. The Wildcats host South Dakota State before traveling to Utah for a road test on Saturday.

Freshman guard Brayden Burries has emerged as a steady scorer, averaging 14.0 points per game. Arizona’s depth and tempo continue to overwhelm opponents early in the season.

Iowa State remained perfect at 12–0 after an off week. The Cyclones host Houston Christian on Monday and West Virginia on Friday.

Junior forward Milan Momcilovic leads the team at 18.3 points per game. Iowa State’s balance continues to separate it from most of the field.

UConn had the week off and remains one of the nation’s most complete teams at 12–1. The Huskies head to Xavier on Wednesday before hosting Marquette on Sunday.

Junior guard Solo Ball leads the backcourt with 15.4 points per game. This week offers a strong measuring stick against Big East competition.

Purdue
Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Purdue stayed idle last week but remains firmly entrenched near the top of the Coaches Poll with an 11–1 record. The Boilermakers face a tricky week with a home matchup against Kent State on Monday before heading to Wisconsin on Saturday.

Senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn continues to anchor the frontcourt, averaging a double-double at 13.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Purdue’s ability to maintain consistency through a two-game week will be closely watched.

Duke remained idle last week and sits at 11–1 entering a two-game stretch. The Blue Devils host Georgia Tech on Wednesday before traveling to Florida State on Saturday.

Freshman phenom Cameron Boozer has been dominant, averaging 23.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Duke will be tested defensively as ACC play intensifies.

Gonzaga extended its winning streak with a victory over Pepperdine on Sunday and sits at 13–1. The Bulldogs play three times this week, traveling to San Diego before hosting Seattle U and LMU.

Junior forward Braden Huff leads the way with 19.1 points per game. Gonzaga’s depth will be tested during the busy stretch.

Houston
John Jones-Imagn Images

Houston enters the week at 11–1 after a quiet stretch. The Cougars host Middle Tennessee State on Monday before heading to Cincinnati on Saturday.

Senior guard Emanuel Sharp continues to pace the offense with 17.9 points per game. Houston’s defensive pressure remains its calling card heading into conference play.

Michigan State enjoyed a week off and sits at 11–1 on the season. The Spartans host Cornell on Monday before traveling to Nebraska on Friday.

Senior forward Jaxon Kohler has been a force inside, averaging 13.9 points and 10.3 rebounds. Michigan State will look to sharpen its execution away from home.

BYU cruised past Eastern Washington 109–81 last Monday to improve to 12–1. The Cougars face a lone test this week with a road trip to Kansas State on Saturday.

Freshman star AJ Dybantsa has lived up to the hype, averaging 23.1 points per game. BYU’s offense remains one of the most explosive in the country.

11. Vanderbilt
12. North Carolina
13-T. Nebraska
13-T.
Louisville (+1)
15. Alabama
16. Texas Tech
17. Kansas
18. Arkansas
19. Illinois
20. Tennessee
21. Virginia
22. Florida
23. Iowa
24. Georgia
25. St. John’s

Dropped Out: No. 25 USC

Others Receiving Votes: Kentucky 35; USC 25; Utah State 14; Auburn 7; Saint Louis 6; Clemson 6; Seton Hall 5; Oklahoma State 5; Yale 4; UCLA 4; Saint Mary’s 4; LSU 3; California 2; Villanova 1; Miami (OH) 1; Indiana 1



Link

Continue Reading

NIL

Petrino’s Friend Found a Workaround to Pay Taylen Green That’s Now Prohibited by NCAA

Published

on



Petrino’s Friend Found a Workaround to Pay Taylen Green That’s Now Prohibited by NCAA
photo credit: Craven Whitlow

Add as a preferred source on Google Smash That “Follow” Button

When Bobby Petrino returned to Arkansas after the 2023 season, his first task was finding a new quarterback.

In this era of college football, that also meant funding a new quarterback. For that, the former head coach leaned on his old friend Frank Fletcher.

The Little Rock-based businessman stepped up and footed a large chunk of the bill for Taylen Green, the talented signal caller Petrino identified to run his offense for the Razorbacks.

It hasn’t only been a transactional relationship, though. Over the last two years, Fletcher has been mindful of Green’s life after sports. Rather than simply handing the star quarterback a boatload of cash, he offered something few college athletes receive: personal relationship and mentorship.

“I had a wonderful two years with Taylen Green,” Fletcher said during Monday’s edition of Morning Mayhem on 103.7 The Buzz. “I was lucky that I happened to back a player that was that nice a kid and [had] great parents. I’ve learned a lot from him. I’m teaching him everything I know, and he wants to learn.”

Fletcher helped Green navigate the financial market by giving the QB1 homework, making him chart a series of stocks over a few months – something that could prove even more important after his subpar finish to the 2025 season likely impacted his pro prospects.