With every opportunity, humans sometimes tend to abuse them and look for loopholes to satisfy their cravings. Fran Fraschilla of ESPN has identified one such loophole. Recently, college players have been pushed out because their name, image, and likeness (NIL) value does not justify the money they demand.
This growing issue raises questions about fairness and the evolving nature of college basketball.
What Did Fran Fraschilla Say?
Fraschilla said through his X account on April 2, “Remember, some of these guys are not transferring, but the value they provide for the NIL money they want is not in alignment. Call it being fired, not being renewed, or parting ways, it’s all the same.”
Remember, some of these guys are not transferring, but the value they provide for the NIL money they want is not in alignment. Call it being fired, not being renewed or parting ways, it’s all the same.
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) April 2, 2025
What does this mean? When a player is not of the outstanding quality a team needs or fails to deliver the value of their NIL, rather than work on developing the players, they are being soft-fired or shown the door.
Generally, there is a transfer option for all players. A player can enter the transfer portal to search for another team. But in this case, the program is either terminating a player’s scholarship or failing to renew it, which translates to firing them. In some cases, the program even encourages the players to leave.
These recent actions have increased the pressure on players. There is an extra responsibility on them to either perform or be shown the door. Just playing a part in the team’s success is no longer sufficient; scholarships can now be terminated if a player does not meet the program’s set standards.
Fraschilla’s concerns are genuine, and while several factors drive these issues, two stand out. One is the NIL expectations. As a result, the program tries to be pragmatic and focuses on the on-court contribution of a player in determining whether to keep or fire them if their return on investment is low.
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Another problem is the lack of clear regulations. With the presence of a uniform oversight, this problem can be quickly resolved. Sadly, almost all schools and states have different policies, and the NCAA has left some rules to personal interpretations.
Thus, Fraschilla’s post is not just another unnecessary sentiment. It is a serious issue that should be addressed. College basketball is becoming more of a business where financial values come before a player’s career or development. Hence, a balance must be reached, and this balance must actively save college basketball.
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