College sports has always generated millions in TV deals and advertisements and yet, student athletes have always found themselves counting chump change in the name of ‘love for the sport.’ For decades, the profit sharing had been grossly titled against the. But now, with the NIL in play, they can capitalize on their name financially, which NBA veteran Dwyane Wade believes, has changed college sports drastically.
Advertisement
Before Wade became one of the best players in NBA history, he was just a kid with a dream. Ahead of the 2001-02 NCAA season, Wade prepared to suit up for Marquette University. Of course, the NBA was his end goal, but it didn’t result in him losing track of his vision.
That vision consisted of the urge to win and compete for the betterment of the team. This generation of players no longer has the same agenda that their predecessors had.
“We’re in this era now where college sports are about the portal,” Wade said on Time Out. “It’s about NIL.”
Before the NCAA passed the bill to allow players to monetize their brands using their name, image and likeness, the transfer portal wasn’t anything special. Some players would enter here and there, but now there are many who treat it like NBA free agency.
Roughly 2,320 men’s basketball players enrolled their names in this year’s portal. The league saw an increase of 11.3% in comparison to the previous year. For any athlete looking to continue their journey in post-secondary athletics, this has become a new trend they have to consider.
Multiple of Wade’s co-hosts have children looking to continue their basketball journey. Instead of the recruitment and decision process being simple, NIL has led to parents being much more strategic with their decision-making.
“To me, you’ve got to find [a coach] that actually cares about your kid,” NBA trainer Chris Johnson said. “It ain’t about basketball.”
Throughout the collegiate seasons, plenty of players with superior talent than their teammates don’t play for a plethora of reasons. It could be due to politics or even attitude, which is why a coach who cares is so important.
Wade co-host Dorrell Wright also spoke about the impact a coach with genuine care can have on a player firsthand during his rookie season in the NBA. As a member of the Miami Heat, assistant coach Keith Askins played a pivotal role in his development as a player.
“Those long days in the gym, bumping heads with Keith Askins. We used to be in that gym, bumping heads, getting into it. Not even knowing that it was just shaping me up to be a successful pro,” Wright said.
Wright now uses his knowledge to guide his son into becoming a great basketball player. Just like Wade and Johnson’s assertions, he has also become more wary of the current landscape of college basketball, which may never go back to what it once was.
It’s also worth noting that families are taking into consideration the transfer portal as a viable option. More athletes are open to pursuing a Division 2 or 3 programs with hopes of outperforming the competition and earning the recognition of a Division 1 program.
