As the 2025-26 college basketball season nears, name, image, and likeness deals have shaped team rosters. More than 2,000 men’s Division I players entered the transfer portal over the past three-plus weeks, with the deadline approaching April 22.
Players are no longer just seeking playing time or fit—they’re chasing financial opportunities. Top-tier programs use NIL war chests worth millions to outpace rivals in recruiting and transfers, signaling a significant shift in how power is built in college basketball.
2025-26 College Hoops: The NIL Money Race That’s Reshaping the Game
The player price surge in college basketball has many factors, but the aggressive spending of elite programs is fueling the spike. Roughly a dozen schools are throwing big money at nearly every top target, dramatically altering the market in just months. These programs have both the financial firepower and the competitive drive to pursue high-dollar players at will.
Last year, only a few schools surpassed the $5 million mark in NIL allocations. That figure has since doubled for many, with at least 10 programs operating in the $10 million-and-up range. The list includes Arkansas, BYU, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, North Carolina, St. John’s, and Texas Tech—programs either already at that mark or expected to hit it by the end of this portal cycle.
College basketball programs that have at least $10 million or more in NIL funds for the 2025-26 season:
• Arkansas, BYU, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, UNC, St. John’s & Texas Tech
Programs a tier behind (rougly $8 million):
• Auburn, UConn, Florida,… pic.twitter.com/8jDspZPxzc
— College Basketball Content (@CBBcontent) April 17, 2025
Another group sits a tier below, each reportedly working with around $8 million in NIL backing. That cluster features Auburn, UConn, Florida, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Miami, Purdue, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA, USC, Villanova, and Virginia.
The 24 programs across these two tiers are conservatively estimated to be contributing at least $200 million in NIL funds for the 2025-26 season. Sources suggest the actual figure could be significantly higher.
This NIL power shift is leaving programs with smaller budgets scrambling. High-major schools without at least $3 million—or some argue $4 million—in NIL reserves are at serious risk of falling behind. Even more striking, over a dozen mid-majors reportedly work with $2 million or more earmarked for roster building.
KEEP READING: UNC’s #2 All-Time Scorer, RJ Davis, Confirms Over $ 1 Million NIL Deal Amid Ongoing NCAA Lawsuit
The message is clear: NIL dollars have become the currency of competitiveness, and the gap is widening fast across college basketball.
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