ESPN Star Admits What NCAA Never Wanted You to Know About College Athletes

Liberty Check

• Veteran broadcaster Jay Bilas says Name, Image and Likeness deals have revolutionized college basketball for the better — players are staying in school longer and the quality of play has never been higher
• NIL compensation has leveled the playing field, allowing talent to spread beyond traditional powerhouse programs and giving athletes bargaining power they’ve always deserved
• Bilas calls out the double standard: coaches have always been free to chase bigger paychecks without criticism, but fans attack players for doing the same

The NCAA establishment spent decades fighting to keep college athletes from earning a dime off their own talents. Now, one of college basketball’s most respected voices is saying what fans need to hear: the Name, Image and Likeness era has made the sport better than ever.

ESPN broadcaster Jay Bilas, a former Duke standout, told Fox News Digital that NIL deals have transformed college basketball in ways the bureaucrats never anticipated.

“I don’t think it’s ever been better. The players are better than they’ve ever been. We’re seeing now because of NIL, because of player compensation, the players are staying in school longer than they did in prior years,” Bilas said.

“That’s more years of service for college teams out of players than they used to get. And I think it’s reflected in a higher level of play. And for those who say that ‘Hey, you know, players should stay in school,’ they’re staying in school to further their educations and make money while they’re doing it.”

Bilas pointed out the obvious hypocrisy in how student-athletes have been treated. If a music student landed a record deal or an engineering major started a business, they’d be celebrated. But when basketball and football players wanted to profit from their own names, the NCAA fought them tooth and nail.

The compensation revolution has done more than just put money in players’ pockets — it’s redistributed talent across programs that previously couldn’t compete with the blue bloods.

“I think it’s been nothing but good for the sport. We’ve seen talent spread out more and look, I’m not a football guy. I like watching football, but I wouldn’t consider myself in the expert category, but I find it hard to believe that Indiana could win a national championship under the old system. And they won one in the NIL era,” Bilas said.

“Like Alabama or Clemson, they can’t stockpile players three deep at each position like they used to. And one, you can’t afford it. And two, players are saying, ‘Wait a minute, I can make this to be a starter at Texas A&M. Why would I go here and be a backup?'”

Even with NIL deals flowing, Bilas says athletes still aren’t getting what they’re truly worth — but at least they’re closer than before.

“I think it’s nothing but a good thing and it’s great for the players that they can now at least bargain for something near their value. They still don’t get their value, but at least they’re getting near their value,” Bilas said.

The veteran broadcaster saved his sharpest criticism for the glaring double standard between how coaches and players are treated. Coaches have always been free agents, jumping from school to school chasing higher salaries — and nobody bats an eye.

“There’s never been a salary cap on coaches. Their compensation keeps going up and up and the coach’s portal is always open. You know, they leave anytime they feel like it and nobody says tampering when another school takes them away. That needs to change because they’re under contract at another member institution and in the real world that’s called tortious interference with contract, and the NCAA just turns their head the other way and says, ‘nothing to see here.'”

“But they complain when it goes to players, not the NCAA, but fans complain with regard to players but they never seem to complain with regard to coaches.”

Bilas will be competing in the American Century Tournament July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe. The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

It’s time to push back.