A new positive for player development

NIL is the tide that raises all boats

BY DAVID THORPE

Read the first part of this story, Henry Abbott on NIL, right here. 

Alabama knocked off top seed North Carolina to make the Elite Eight thanks to the second-half heroics of 22-year-old Grant Nelson, a smooth-moving big man who flirted with turning professional—he was at the NBA draft combine a year ago—but decided instead to transfer and work on his game. The Crimson Tide are a good team with an incredible offense, but imagine what they could be like with Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney, and Charles Bediako. 

Kansas could have had Gradey Dick right now. Houston earned a top seed without Jarace Walker, now a Pacer. Marquette could have O-Max Prosper and Gonzaga Julian Strawther. The Grizzlies’ GG Jackson could have made a huge difference for South Carolina, who lost their first-round matchup with Oregon. The Ducks’ top two players, both seniors, combined for 63 points. Mouhamed Gueye, a 6-10 power forward, slipped into the NBA as the 39th pick and, thanks in part to injury, has played all of four minutes for the Hawks this season. He might have helped Washington State against Iowa State last weekend. 

Those kinds of things will happen more with every NIL dollar in the mix.