NIL has become the lame go to excuse with every college football and basketball fan when recruiting is lackluster. Not going to name names but people act as though schools weren't paying players before NIL (which is actually a good idea if were done as intended). Or that players weren't turning down money to play for the team of their choice. Now with actual above board NIL the schools that do it correctly can fight back. I actually believe Geno. Because UConn WBB is a brand. They are UConn. Nothing wrong with the Patterson situation after she enrolled. The situation with the QB, Rashada Whatever, and the Florida schools is where it goes off the rails. I also believe the fine print doesn't match what some of these kids are being told. But I digress.
The problem isn't the LV's lack of an NIL game. It's that to a lot of current high school recruits its a brand that's not as "it" as watching Dawn Staley's Gamecocks as well as Aja Wilson. Watching Breanna Stewart as well as Azzy Fudd. Watching Olivia Miles showboat with another dime while seeing Arike and Skylar in the WNBA. Its about branding and finding kids and, more importantly, parents who understand that they can make a lot more money going to the right school doing NIL the way it was intended than schools throwing 7 figure offers with lots of strings attached.
Love Pat. But to todays recruits that's not going to cut it. Watching Iowa and C. Clark's wide-open fast break style is more appealing than the Lady Vols.
