By SAM LANCE
In today’s landscape of college basketball, the dynamics have shifted for elite players eying the NBA. The introduction of NIL deals has opened up new financial opportunities for athletes, allowing them to profit while still in school.
For Arkansas head coach John Calipari, this represents a crucial change in how young players approach their careers, and he’s urging them to take advantage of the opportunity.
“Why would you leave early now unless you know?” Calipari said in a media availability on Tuesday.
His overarching point? NIL deals can provide the financial security players need without having to leave college basketball too soon.
“Before they’d say, ‘My parents, I got to do this,'” Calipari said. “I get it.”
In the past, financial pressure often had players declaring for the draft as soon as possible. However, with NIL deals now in play, the urgency may be changing. Players no longer need to rush their decisions because they can support themselves and their families in college. Calipari has one example on his roster this season: D.J. Wagner, a former top-five overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. Before NIL, he may have left for the NBA after his freshman campaign.
“I’ve had players come to me that needed to stay in school longer,” Calipari said. “But they were told, ‘You’ve always been this, and you were ranked this.’ None of that matters.”
Calipari understands the expectations that come with high rankings, especially for young players in today’s age. He also addressed other factors that are involved.
“The biggest thing that we all here didn’t have to deal with — what comes at these kids now — why do more people want to be in their life at an earlier age? Say it.”
The media responded with “money.”
“Yeah,” Calipari continued. “Nobody cared about me when I was 16-17. They weren’t trying to get a hold of me… Now these kids are 15-16 and you have people in their lives that are, you know. And then the expectation of what they are supposed to do.”
Sure, it’s a lot to deal with. And Calipari knows that. Still, by leveraging NIL deals, players can now stay in school, mature both physically and mentally, and enter the NBA when they are truly ready. As Calipari addressed, that readiness goes beyond just on the court. It’s also about the ability to handle life outside basketball, which becomes even more important as a player’s profile rises.
“If there’s anything in your background you need to rectify, you better because this is going to be really hard,” Calipari said. “And you have more people that are going to be pulling on you that you have to be clear that everything is cleaned up with you.”
In Calipari’s view, the modern college basketball player holds more power than ever before, but with that power comes responsibility. And in this new world, the best coaches adapt. Once the face of the “one-and-done” movement, Calipari now seems to be ahead of the curve in this new era, embracing NIL’s potential to reshape college basketball.
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