NIL May Have Positive Effect On College Basketball's Biggest Problem

A highly touted college basketball explained how his mindset could be changing going into college, indicating that college's basketball's biggest problem could soon be over thanks to NIL.

Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK

Throughout the NBA's history, the league has had issues with deciding how to allow players to enter after high school.

From the early stages of the Association where players could not declare for the draft until at least two years after their high school graduation, to the Hayes v. NBA Supreme Court decision that was exploited by many, to what is in place now that we know as "one-and-done," it has been handled poorly from the start, and higher education has suffered because of it.

Just over three years ago, a new system was put in place across all collegiate athletics, not just college basketball, Name, Image, and Likeness, allowing student-athletes to be paid for their efforts in their respective sports.

NIL has been a highly controversial concept from the beginning, that has led to many Hall of Fame coaches in multiple sports retiring, many fans to stop watching collegiate athletics under the pretense that "it's just professional sports, now," and many student-athletes to not have to live on Top Ramen and Pop Tarts.

While NIL may be a polarizing issue, it seems to be having a positive effect on "one-and-done" in the college basketball landscape.

Now-retired NBA star Carmelo Anthony's son, Kiyan Anthony, a highly-touted college recruit in his own right, made an appearance on Chicago Sky star Angel Reese's Unapologetically Angel podcast earlier this week and explained why he may delay his declaration for the NBA draft to 2027 instead of the expected 2026.

“I feel like one and done happens, it happens but if it’s like an opportunity to stay, where I could stay two years and then go to the league like that could happen too. Obviously, now with NIL and everything still gonna get paid. You’re still making money in college or you’re in the league so.”

While this may not be the best way to look at things, it would still mean that he is in college longer receiving a higher education, as opposed to spending one year on campus and dipping once the basketball season is over.

Of course, all of this relies on believing in the pretense that high-end student-athletes are actually required to go to class and pass said classes, but that is a different issue for another day.

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Anthony, 17, is a 6'5", 185-pound shooting guard currently attending Long Island Lutheran High School in New York.

On3 Sports has the guard rated as a four-star recruit, ranking as the 34th best in the country, the eighth-best shooting guard, and the best recruit in New York, while currently predicting Anthony to commit to the Syracuse Orange where his father played in the college ranks.