Cavinder Twin Back?, Oumar Ballo's Deal, Sam Hartman on NIL, + ICYMI | NIL Newsletter #232
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Quick Hitters:
Hanna Cavinder Announces Return
On Wednesday, news broke that the Cavinder twins would both be back in college basketball next year.
Hanna Cavinder, who stepped away from the game after the 2022-23 season, announced her return to Miami(FL) for the 2024-25 season.
Her twin sister, Haley, had previously returned from retirement in the fall, announcing that she would play her 2024-25 season with TCU.
It is unclear if the twins plan to play together next year, at either university.
Oumar Ballo’s Big Payday
Earlier this week, Oumar Ballo announced his commitment to Indiana.
The former top-100 recruit played at Gonzaga to begin his career, before following coach Tommy Lloyd to Arizona, where he has been one of the best centers in the nation the last two years.
Ballo has one additional season of eligibility thanks to the Covid year, and elected to enter the transfer portal in the search of his third, and final, school.
According to reports, Ballo secured a deal from Indiana’s collective worth $1.2 million.
Sam Hartman on the State of NIL
Former Wake Forest and Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman shared his thoughts on NIL as someone who actively played during the sweeping overhaul of college athletics.
On NIL in general: “I think it's a slippery slope. There's certain circumstances where it's used really well, and then sometimes I think it's just misconstrued for guys to kind of jump ship and say, ‘Hey, there's a little bit of money getting flashed at me right here. I'm going to go do this.’ And then that money's not as much as some people might think it might be.”
On the locker room impact: “People start pocket-watching and start wondering, why is this guy making this and I'm making that? And it happens naturally. But if it's something that's in the dark corners, that's life. But as soon as it becomes the main focus and football is not, then that's when you struggle.”
ICYMI
The Wisconsin-focused “The Varsity” Collective announced a new beer in partnership with Potosi Brewing. Proceeds will benefit the collective and their athletes. LINK
A bill aimed at changing Tennessee’s NIL law to match the recent lawsuit is now in front of Governor Bill Lee. LINK
College athletes will look to the Olympics to grow their NIL profile. LINK
Among the top 100 most endorsed college athletes in 2023-24, 52 were women and 48 were men. LINK
Have you checked out OSC’s website?
Head to www.OptimumSportsConsulting.com to find important resources and features relating to all things NIL. These resources include State by State Resources for Admins, Agents and Athletes, including our initial “OSC Summaries” for over a dozen states coming soon.
More to come too, including links to helpful state information- agency laws and information about school policies, as well as seminar/congressional notes, worksheets, and much more!