UNC has had to change their ways in recruiting due to the new landscape around NIL.
NIL is now the biggest part of college athletics. When former student-athletes were recruited, they considered the program’s prestige, academics, coaches, and other factors.
However, while that hasn’t changed in every scenario, many student-athletes are now seeking the most NIL money.
It’s hard to blame these recruits; if they are a high-level recruit or know how to market themselves, they’re looking at life-changing money.
Still, the changes in NIL have impacted how coaches recruit, making things more challenging than ever.
This includes challenges faced by top programs, like North Carolina basketball coach Hubert Davis, who has encountered several obstacles since becoming the Tar Heels head coach.
In a conversation with Ben Sherman of 247 Sports, Davis highlighted how the introduction of agents has altered the landscape.
“I think you’re right. There has been changes, and things in terms of NIL and the transfer portal. I’ve talked about in the four years that I’ve been head coach, it’s been the explosion of the transfer portal, NIL, the involvement of agents on the back side of a pandemic. And you’ve added three more teams to the ACC. So there’s been some change in the last four years. I would probably say the biggest difference in regards to NIL right now is the involvement of agents. That was something that wasn’t really present at the beginning, and now it is. So there’s conversations not only with the recruit, with the family, but also with the agent.”
Agents are a challenging concept in the college landscape. Before NIL, agents were strictly prohibited. Many top players would hire “advisors,” but that was often a slippery slope.
With NIL agents now involved, Davis and other coaches must navigate this dynamic, which could change the nature of recruiting.
Problems may arise if an agent believes their client deserves a $150,000 NIL deal while North Carolina views them as a $50,000 player
The numbers UNC is working with are likely much higher, as it’s believed that college basketball players at that level are receiving significant amounts of money, especially from the transfer portal.
It will be interesting to see if the NCAA makes any future changes regarding agents. Having an agent could eliminate the “amateurism” label placed on student-athletes.
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