Kansas basketball: Hunter Dickinson disparages NIL deal with Michigan on podcast
Hunter Dickinson had some interesting things to say about his NIL deal with Michigan and how it affected his decision to transfer to Kansas basketball.
It is no secret that the Kansas Jayhawks are a blue-blood program. The honor that comes with playing for KU also comes with more public recognition. In 2021, the NCAA passed a rule that allowed college athletes to gain money from endorsements and other activities. Players can reap benefits off of their standing through NIL, which stands for name, image, and likeness.
NIL benefits are one of the most significant motivations for why Hunter Dickinson committed to Kansas. In the latest edition of Roundball Podcast, which Dickinson himself and other Barstool Sports members run, the nation’s No. 1-ranked transfer spoke about why he decided to leave Michigan.
"“The people hating on me would leave their job right now for a $10,000 increase. I got, at Michigan, less than six figures. I got less than six figures at Michigan for the year.”"
The comment signifies that recognition and other monetary factors were massive reasons for his decision to join Bill Self in Lawrence. Although no one can pinpoint how much he will make at Kansas, On3.com evaluates him to be worth $281,000 in NIL benefits.
Chris Balas, an editor at The Wolverine Magazine, claimed that the Jayhawks offered Dickinson a ballpark of $4 million. Of course, there might be no validity in these comments.
Dickinson reflected further on his time at Michigan and the challenging decision he had to make.
"“I still love the school and everything. I love the program. That’s why it was so hard to leave because I really didn’t want to leave, I didn’t. But I just felt like, man, it was the best decision for me. It took a lot of courage. I don’t think people realize how much courage it took for a guy who was there for three years, an All-American for the team. I did have a legacy there and I basically gave that up to try to be selfish and do what’s best for me and my career, not what’s best for anybody else’s career.”"
If he did not make six figures with Michigan, it is safe to say that he will make much more than that at Kansas. That number might be approaching the seven-figure mark.
In the friendliest way possible, Dickinson is calling the Michigan athletic program “cheap” with their NIL deal. Kansas, on the other hand, is less frugal with its money. And there is nothing wrong with that.
While opposing fans will crack jokes about KU’s involvement with the FBI and their history of paying players, this is the current state of college basketball. Anyone who wants to believe that Self “cheated” to bring in Dickinson is in denial.
Whether or not NIL is good for NCAA sports is a different discussion, but if you have not already, you should become accustomed to premier programs giving out big bucks to superstars.
You can listen to the newest Roundball Podcast here.
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