via Athletic:
Great question that is on a lot of people’s minds right now, and let’s just say the consensus around college basketball this spring is that prices (sorry, uh, we mean expected name, image and likeness deals) have never been higher. I surveyed a handful of movers and shakers in the sport – two high-major head coaches, another high-major staffer, a recruiting insider and a behind-the-scenes power broker, all of whom were granted anonymity in exchange for their candor — to get a feel for the market.
First, this: “Baylor, Arkansas and Louisville have helped the market,” says one insider. Another listed those three, plus Indiana, Alabama and Kentucky as the biggest spenders this free-agent season. A mix of that, plus obscene asking prices, plus a little bit of liar’s poker have resulted in this new reality: “Every kid has ‘multiple $750K offers.’ That’s the opening line of every agent,” says one insider.
OK, so what are the actual going rates for transfers signing with high-major programs right now?
“Starter should be $200,000-$250,000, all-conference $350,000, All-American $500,000-plus — but there are people paying double that across the board,” says one source.
“Starter: $200,000-$300,000. All-conference: $500,000-$750,000. High-end: $800,000-$2 million,” says another.
“Starter: $500,000. All-conference: $800,000-$1 million. Top guys: Well over $1 million. Some teams are getting wild as well with money in the portal,” says a third.
“Depends on position. An all-conference guard could be looking at $450,000-$600,000 and, as they’ve gotten more scarce, $600,000-$800,000. For bigs, what was $600,000-plus for an all-conference player is now over $1 million,” says a fourth.
“Starter: $200,000-$400,000. All-league potential: $600,000-$800,000. Top guys — over a milly!!!” says source No. 5
Bottom line: If you have major needs to fill and plan on doing so through the transfer portal, you’d better have a couple million bucks, at least, in available NIL funds to assemble a competitive roster in the current climate. – Kyle Tucker
Great question that is on a lot of people’s minds right now, and let’s just say the consensus around college basketball this spring is that prices (sorry, uh, we mean expected name, image and likeness deals) have never been higher. I surveyed a handful of movers and shakers in the sport – two high-major head coaches, another high-major staffer, a recruiting insider and a behind-the-scenes power broker, all of whom were granted anonymity in exchange for their candor — to get a feel for the market.
First, this: “Baylor, Arkansas and Louisville have helped the market,” says one insider. Another listed those three, plus Indiana, Alabama and Kentucky as the biggest spenders this free-agent season. A mix of that, plus obscene asking prices, plus a little bit of liar’s poker have resulted in this new reality: “Every kid has ‘multiple $750K offers.’ That’s the opening line of every agent,” says one insider.
OK, so what are the actual going rates for transfers signing with high-major programs right now?
“Starter should be $200,000-$250,000, all-conference $350,000, All-American $500,000-plus — but there are people paying double that across the board,” says one source.
“Starter: $200,000-$300,000. All-conference: $500,000-$750,000. High-end: $800,000-$2 million,” says another.
“Starter: $500,000. All-conference: $800,000-$1 million. Top guys: Well over $1 million. Some teams are getting wild as well with money in the portal,” says a third.
“Depends on position. An all-conference guard could be looking at $450,000-$600,000 and, as they’ve gotten more scarce, $600,000-$800,000. For bigs, what was $600,000-plus for an all-conference player is now over $1 million,” says a fourth.
“Starter: $200,000-$400,000. All-league potential: $600,000-$800,000. Top guys — over a milly!!!” says source No. 5
Bottom line: If you have major needs to fill and plan on doing so through the transfer portal, you’d better have a couple million bucks, at least, in available NIL funds to assemble a competitive roster in the current climate. – Kyle Tucker
