Kentucky basketball head coach John Calipari gave his honest thoughts on the huge talking point in collegiate sports, which is Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.
Calipari delivered strong stances about NIL and his concerns with it and he has a ton, as before answering he asked “How much time do I have? according to The Athletic's Kyle Tucker.
During his press conference at SEC college basketball media day, he said that because NIL is huge in the world of student-athletes and athletics, they could prioritize that more than playing basketball.
“I tell every kid I’m recruiting,” Calipari said. “If it’s about NIL more than basketball, you shouldn’t come here.”
Article Continues BelowWhile there is no doubt that NIL is still in its infancy stage in terms of how long it's been available to student-athletes, Calipari said that there needs to be boundaries.
“We need guardrails,” Calipari said. “I think young people deserve to share in (the money). But it’s kind of gone beyond that now.”
Calipair stressed that “transparency” should be key when it comes to NIL and student-athletes. Meaning, “what players are getting at each school (not by name, he says) should be public info” the head coach said, per Tucker.
Last season, the Kentucky Wildcats were 22-12, 12-6 in conference, and lost in the first round of the SEC tournament to Vanderbilt's basketball program. It wouldn't be their final basketball appearance as they made the NCAA tournament, even winning their first game against Providence. However, they fell to Kansas State in the next round, 75-69.