NBA Draft Prospects Give Varying Opinions Of NIL Effect On College Basketball

NEW YORK, NY – NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) has completely changed the landscape of college sports since it was implanted in 2021. Suddenly, college athletes – long considered amateurs incapable of receiving money for their play – could cash in on their athletics success. And while it's great for individual players, many believe it has a detrimental effect on college sports as a whole. 

OutKick set out to see what NBA Draft prospects thought about the pay-for-play college model taking shape when many of them met with the media ahead of Wednesday night's draft in Brooklyn. While most of the players we spoke with lauded NIL for providing financial opportunities for many young people who need it, a few noted the negative consequences of the new system. 

"A lot of [players] are [transferring] just for money," Nique Clifford, a former Colorado State star, said. "There's a lot of people out there that are chasing the money and end up in bad situations." 

Clifford has a unique perspective on NIL because he entered college in 2020, just before NIL took effect. During his freshman season at Colorado, he didn't have the opportunity to earn money for his play. That changed, however, just one year into his career. 

"Going into college, I didn't know what NIL was. I was getting paid nothing, and I was living a regular college student life," Clifford recounted. "Once [NIL] started becoming a thing, it changed the landscape of college basketball. You don't see as much loyalty to programs, and you don't see those… runs in March Madness from lower-level teams because there's not as much talent, per se, because everyone wants to get money." 

Nique Clifford, a former Colorado State star and current NBA Draft prospect, gave a thorough and thoughtful answer on the effect of NIL on college basketball. 

(David Banks/Imagn Images)

Clifford transferred from Colorado to Colorado State after three years, but noted that it had nothing to do with money. It's hard to argue that, given that Colorado State certainly isn't a top-tier college program luring athletes with the promise of huge paydays. 

"I ended up transferring based on my situation and I felt like that was what was best for me and my future," Clifford said. "But for me, it wasn't about money." 

Clifford did add that he thought it was a good thing for players to be paid for their work, but suggested the NCAA put some kind of cap on the earnings so that smaller schools can compete. 

A similar sentiment was echoed by former Illinois star Will Riley. 

"I feel like it's a good thing and a bad thing, but I feel like more good, obviously," Riley said of NIL. When asked what was bad about NIL, Riley elaborated. 

"Some guys might go to a school just because of a paycheck," he responded. "I feel like that's not necessarily what you should do most of the time. I feel like it's more about fit and what feels good for you." 

Will Riley, a former Illinois standout and current NBA Draft prospect, discussed both the positive and negative effects of NIL on college basketball and its players. 

(David Banks/Imagn Images)

The lack of "Cinderella" teams in March Madness was a major talking point during this year's NCAA Tournament, with NIL often cited as the culprit by coaches and the media. It's interesting to hear that some of the players recognized that, too. 

However, many of the players talked about the need for these young players to earn money, many of whom had very little prior to entering college. 

"I didn't have [a lot of] money growing up," VJ Edgecombe, a Baylor standout, said. "[I] got paid while playing the game I love. That's the best thing in the world." 

Derik Queen, the star Maryland freshman who hit one of the most memorable shots in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, said that NIL was important for him to help give back to his mother, who sacrificed everything so he could play basketball. 

"It's just been me and my mom, my entire life," Queen said. "She made sacrifices [for me to go] to AAU tournaments. [She would] wake up early in the morning to go to work and just continue to go to work… she made me work harder so I could take care of her." 

While former Texas star Tre Johnson said NIL didn't impact him much – because he "would have played for free" – he said it had a positive effect on many of the players. 

"For guys to get paid and help out their families [is a good thing]," Johnson said. "It's also a way to help guys get on their feet if they don't get the chance to go to the NBA [they] still have money from college that [they] can use to help start up somewhere else." 

Carter Bryant and Tre Johnson, two prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft, talked about the positive impact that NIL has on college basketball players. 

(Imagn Images)

Arizona star Carter Bryant called NIL "a beautiful thing" and said he was "grateful" for the opportunities to make money in college, something most athletes didn't experience before NIL. 

"If you ask every single college player that played before [NIL], I promise you they would have said they would have loved to get paid." 

Clearly, NIL has had a positive impact on the lives of many young people, and it's hard to argue with that. As for whether it's good for college sports, that part remains up for debate. As Derik Queen noted, this year's NBA Draft featured the fewest number of players declaring as more kids are opting to stay in school because they are already getting paid. In addition, they have an opportunity to continue their education. 

However, the schools that have the most money obviously carry a big advantage over the smaller schools, and it has undoubtedly changed the landscape of college sports. Whether you believe that's a good thing or a bad thing is up to you. 

"It's tricky because everyone has their opinions on it," VJ Edgecombe said. "But no one is wrong [and] no one is right."