Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal are here to stay, and it can be a boom or bust for college athletes. But for Black colleges and universities, NIL and the portal can be a double-edged sword, sometimes cutting severely into their rosters because of “plucking” by bigger schools and mid-majors.
“The one thing people don’t talk about in this portal-NIL era is that as coaches we don’t have any protection or security around our programs,” bemoaned LeVelle Moton as he recently talked to reporters, including MSR. The North Carolina Central men’s head basketball coach since 2009 continued, “[This] means anyone and everyone that can be an agent can contact your kids, right?
“It’s become more of a challenge to even just keep your team focused on the basketball floor, right?”
The Drake Group on Dec. 29 released a state-by-state NIL legislation database. It is categorized by state whether a bill is a current law, is pending further action, died in committee, an executive order, or was rescinded.
Minnesota is among 14 states with no NIL laws or legislation pending. Minnesota also is one of 11 states with no laws on college athlete contract disclosure provisions.
Furthermore, only one state, Kentucky, has adopted a law giving high school athletes NIL rights, and only three states — Florida, Pennsylvania and North Carolina — have athlete agent and NIL collective regulations in their bills that set rules for agents and NIL advisors. Pennsylvania and North Carolina currently have such bills pending, but a similar bill in Florida died in committee.
Some have called NIL the Wild, Wild West because there are no across-the-board regulations. This is what Moton and other coaches are complaining about either openly or behind the scenes.
“In the past,” he pointed out, “we had security and some parameters. But right now, as low-major coaches, we don’t have that. Basically, mid-major and high-major coaches recruit off our rosters.
“So, I think the NCAA has to do a better job of just lending us that support and that security and put those parameters up so we can coach our teams in good faith,” said Moton.
Rattlers beating predictions
Before the season, Florida A&M (FAMU) was picked to finish eighth in SWAC men’s basketball. Thus far the Rattlers, led by first year Head Coach Charlie Ward, is battling among the top three clubs in the standings.
Uncommon dedication
Coppin State (MEAC) and South Carolina (SEC) faced off Jan. 18 in a rare non-conference matchup this late in the season. Even more notable is that a Power 4 school played an HBCU on their court as the Gamecocks traveled to Baltimore to play the Eagles.
Despite the lopsided score — South Carolina won by 42 points — more than 3,000 fans were in attendance. Winning Coach Dawn Staley said afterwards of her players playing against an all-Black female team on a Black college campus, “It’s good on all fronts.”
“You won’t get a lot of other Power 4 schools that will want to come and play at an HBCU,” Coppin State HC Darnell Mosley told MSR. He admired the two-time championship coach’s dedication to promoting women’s basketball at every opportunity.
“She even stayed after the game 45 minutes, signing her book, taking selfies and pictures, and signing autographs,” concluded Mosley. “I thought it was just a remarkable effort to her and who she is as a person and as a coach.”
3-0 week for Tigers
Stillman College WBB Coach Jamarra Robinson’s Tigers posted a 3-0 week including defeating previously unbeaten Oakwood, Voorhees and Talladega to be named among the WHoopdot.com Coach of the Week winners. Stillman is in the HBCU Athletic Conference.
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.