Tag: NIL rules

Rick Pitino concerned for NCAA, St. John’s in NIL era

Rick Pitino sounded the alarm for the future of college basketball, and St. John’s in particular, after Saturday’s loss to No. 1 Connecticut, raising concerns about how difficult it is now in the Name, Image & Likeness and transfer portal era to build a program. 

In discussing the state of the Johnnies after their fifth loss in six games, he went off on a tangent about the future. 

“It’s our first year. Every first year I’ve had, I’ve never had a great team. But I will tell you, I am worried about it,” Pitino said after the 77-64 setback. “It’s very tough to build. So many football coaches are getting out, so many basketball coaches are getting out. It’s tough to build a program.

“You have to really innovate, get creative and understand these rules right now — or lack of rules.” 

Upon taking over for Mike Anderson last March, Pitino remade the roster, keeping only Joel Soriano and Drissa Traore. He brought in five fifth-year players who will need to be replaced this offseason. 

“It’s a very difficult time in college basketball because it’s free agency and now I think what’s going to happen is [the NCAA is] going to say everybody can transfer,” Pitino said. “If they don’t like it, they’re going to take them to court. I think the NCAA enforcement staff should be disbanded, not because I dislike them, but they’re of no value at all.


St. John’s coach Rick Pitino spoke on how tough it is to build a college basketball program. Robert Sabo for NY Post

“The enforcement staff needs to go away. We need to stop all the hypocrisy of NIL. Need to stop it because they can’t stop it. Whether I’m for or against it, it doesn’t matter. 

“For us, we can’t really build programs and culture because everybody leaves. We did it with five fifth-year guys. They’re all going to leave and we need to replace them with new free agents.” 

Saturday’s game was a sellout, St. John’s first since beating Villanova on Feb. 17, 2019.

Connecticut was without standout forward Alex Karaban (ankle).

St. John’s 3-point shooting continues to underwhelm.

It sank 4 of 14 attempts Saturday and has made 27.7 percent from long distance over the last six games. 

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LSU’s Angel Reese has highest women’s college basketball NIL value

Angel Reese has officially become the face of women’s college basketball.

After leading LSU to a national championship victory over Caitlyn Clark and Iowa — and the ensuing media hubub — the star forward saw her NIL valuation skyrocket to $1.3 million, according to On3 Sports.

She’s now the highest valued player in women’s college basketball and third highest among all female college athletes, only behind gymnasts Olivia Dunne and Sunisa Lee.

She is also ranked No. 13 on On3’s NIL 100 list, ranking ahead of LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Before her team’s title run in the NCAA Tournament this year, Reese was at $371,000 in NIL valuation.

Fast forward a month and the “Bayou Barbie” tripled her social media following to 3.6 million as well as gaining $480,000 in NIL value.


Reese transferred to LSU from Maryland after the 2021-22 season
NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Her title game antics — giving Clark the John Cena “You can’t see me” hand gesture — helped raise her exposure, as the continued conversation about brash, unapologetic ways.

She quickly capitalized, selling merchandise on her website and getting NIL deals with Calvin Klein, Bose and Coach.

“All year I was critiqued about who I was,” Reese said after adding NCAA champion to her resume. “I don’t fit the narrative. I don’t fit in a box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. Y’all told me that all year. But when other people do it, y’all say nothing.


Reese went viral for using the “You can’t see me” gesture during the national championship game.
Jonathan Mailhes/CSM/Shutterstock

“So this was for the girls that look like me, that’s going to speak up on what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you. That’s (who) I did it for tonight. It was bigger than me tonight. It was bigger than me.”

Reese, who is only a sophomore and will play collegiate ball for at least one more year, averaged 23 points and 15.4 rebounds this past season.

As soon as the confetti rained onto the court at after the championship game, Reese knew exactly what her future held.

“The price just went up,” Reese exclaimed.

She wasn’t wrong.

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Indiana’s Anthony Leal pays sister’s student loans with NIL money

Anthony Leal, a junior on Indiana’s basketball team, stepped up big for his older sister Lauren’s Christmas present.

A video has gone viral of the younger brother using his NIL money to pay off his sister’s student loans in one fell swoop. He announced the news to her in a card, which she read aloud.

“You’re a spark of goodness that brightens the world,” the card read. “You radiate kindness and bring happiness to so many people, especially me.”

She stopped reading for a second, looked at her brother, and said, “That’s so nice!”

“Hey sis, I wanted you to know how much I look up to you and admire who you are,” the card continued. “Your soul is beautiful and you are the best role model ever. There is no doubt that I have made it to where I am today because of you.

“Someone like you deserves no burdens or restrictions in life, and I feel like the best way to help you with that is by …”

Anthony Leal is a junior on the Indiana Hoosiers.
Getty Images
Anthony Leal, right, and his sister embrace after his gift.
Twitter / @btownl3alfam1

Lauren Leal stopped reading again, gasped, and exclaimed, “I don’t even know how much that is!”

The younger brother interjected: “I do — it’s zero now.”

The brother and sister embraced in a touching Christmas moment.

Anthony Leal was a four-star recruit out of Bloomington South in Indiana in the high school class of 2020. Now in the beginning of his third season at Indiana, he has appeared in 41 games for the Hoosiers.

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