"We’re in this era now" - Dwyane Wade discusses NIL’s impact on college sports, athlete choices, and his son’s future

Millions of dollars have traditionally been made from TV deals and ads related to college athletics. However, typically, student athletes don't earn much money. Nevertheless, the NIL allows student players to profit from their name, reportedly has fundamentally altered collegiate athletics, as per NBA veteran Dwyane Wade. He recently took to the podcast Time Out and opened up about the same.

He further talked about his son going to college and joining their basketball team.

Dwyane Wade reflects on NIL era and tough decisions for his son’s basketball future

Dwyane Wade is one of the all-time greats in NBA history. However, before everything, he played for Marquette University prior to the 2001-02 NCAA season. Now, he could see the change in college basketball. He recently opened up about the modern rules and regulations on Time Out. He said:“We’re in this era now where college sports are about the portal… It’s about NIL.”He continued:“It's about the collective. It's about all these different things that we didn't experience. Obviously, I didn't even have to experience it. He didn't go to college, but I didn't. So, as a father, you have to put your sons in positions at this point..”

He then added: “As you're watching Devin's, you know, progression, you got a decision to make. Do I send him to college? Do I hold him and let him go to prep school so he can keep developing? Like, these different decisions you guys have to make…”He further said: “As soon as you lose a game or two, they go back to these coaches. These coaches have had this system since they first started coaching. They stick with your system, boy…”

Understanding NIL rules and their impact on student-athletes

An interim policy on name, image, and likeness, or NIL, was put into place by the NCAA in June 2021, enabling student-athletes to profit from their personal brands.

States have different NIL laws, therefore it might be a little confusing. The regulations established by the high school sports association in a state will determine whether or not high school students are permitted to engage in NIL activities. Universities and colleges also frequently have their own special NIL regulations.

The acronym "NIL" represents "name, image, and likeness." It refers to a person's legal right to manage the use of their image, including in a commercial setting. By joining collegiate sports teams, student-athletes gave up their NIL rights because it has long been illegal for them to make deals to benefit on their popularity. College athletes have been negotiating sponsorship deals ever since their NIL rights were reinstated three years ago due to a mix of state legislation and NCAA regulation changes. What bargains athletes can make is determined by a combination of state laws and school policy. The NCAA requires colleges to create their own rules for their own athletes in states with little monitoring. Understanding these rules are extremely vital for the college athletes.

Also read: "We knew it in that moment"- Dwyane Wade reflects on 2003 draft class and how he, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh shifted NBA power