Basketball

The business of hoops: NIL deals shifting power balance in women’s college ball

Tyrell Reed
The power map in women’s college basketball is changing, and it is not just about coaching or X’s and O’s anymore. NIL deals have become the new recruiting currency, and they are pushing programs to rethink how they sell themselves to the next wave of talent. For decades, the pitch was minutes, player development, and championships. Now, it is that plus brand partnerships, social media strategy, and personal business growth.
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Inside Dawn Staley’s blueprint for 2025–26: Reload, retool, reign?

Brandon Wagner
Dawn Staley is not chasing noise. She is chasing execution. South Carolina came up just short in the title game last season, and instead of scrambling, Staley has put together a blueprint that leans on the same principles that got her program to the top: toughness, pace control, and defensive suffocation. The names change, but the system holds. When you watch South Carolina’s tape, you see how meticulous the rotations
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Ja Morant’s leadership arc: Is this season when he truly becomes the face?

JayWill Coleman
Ja Morant has been that highlight machine since the moment he touched down in Memphis. The crazy dunks, the chase-down blocks, the no-look passes. That was the first act. Now the question is if he can own the room and the city as the franchise leader. Because the Grizzlies’ core is shifting, veterans are hurt, and all eyes are back on Ja to be more than the viral clip. You
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Lamont Paris’ Blueprint: Can the Gamecocks Finally Climb the SEC Ladder?

Brandon Wagner
South Carolina basketball has been living in the shadows of its own women’s program for years. Dawn Staley built a dynasty, and the men’s side has been grinding to find that kind of identity. Lamont Paris is trying to change that. He has got recruiting momentum, a stronger staff, and a roster that feels more SEC-ready than in past years. But here is the thing. In the SEC, ready means
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Ja Morant Sets Tone on Day One: Locked, Loud, and Leading

Leonard Ellis
Man, you could feel it the minute Ja hit that court. Whole building shifted. Folks been wondering if last year’s ups and downs were going to linger. They are not. He came in today with that Memphis edge, dapping everybody up, yelling through drills, setting the pace like the franchise player he is. This is not just Ja hooping, this is Ja commanding. From the sideline to the scrimmage, you
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The Business of Basketball: How NIL Changed Recruiting Forever

Tyrell Reed
Recruiting used to be about relationships and scholarships. Now? It’s about who can structure the strongest NIL package. High school seniors are picking programs with endorsement opportunities in mind. That shift has permanently changed college basketball. Money in the game isn’t new, but NIL brought it into the open. Some say it’s ruining recruiting, but the truth is it’s just more transparent. Athletes finally have leverage. Programs that adapt and
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