Syracuse Basketball: Duke Legend Christian Laettner Wants to Ditch NIL

Duke legend Christian Laettner, who to me is one of the five greatest players in college hoops history, said in a recent interview that he wanted to eliminate name, image and likeness opportunities for student-athletes – a hot topic that Syracuse basketball fans have mixed feelings about.

Lately I’ve seen a lot of comments from my friends Orange fans on social media and in discussion forums regarding NIL and the transfer portal. Some fans say these two things, among others, are ruining college athletics. I certainly understand that feeling.

Other fans say that NIL and the portal, like it or not, are here to stay. They say college programs, including the ‘Cuse, need to embrace them and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of college basketball and other college sports. I’m probably more in that camp.

Regardless, during a recent interview with ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, Laettner spoke about NIL and the portal. I will say this: During his time with Atlantic Coast Conference team Duke, he won two national titles, appeared in three NCAA Tournament championship games and reached the Final Four in each of his four seasons with the Blue Devils..

Whether we like it or not, we must respect it. When I read his comments with Greenberg, through an article by Andrew Graham of On3, I took what Laettner said seriously, because I respect his place in college basketball. I just don’t completely agree with him here.

Here is a series of comments from Laettner in his conversation with Greenberg: “They need to remove the NIL. They need to erase it. They need to change the transfer portal. I know everyone says the horse is out of the stable and you can’t do it again. But how can you establish any type of culture in a school when you have new kids every year that would mean that every year was like my first year at Duke? you’re so much better than your third, your fourth year, when you’re under a system, a program, a coach, a specifically defined culture The way you want to play offense, the way you want to play defense.

Now as for NIL, I don’t think that’s happening. The NCAA has allowed student-athletes to make money off their names, images and likenesses starting in summer 2021. The whole NIL landscape is a mess, I’ll grant you that, and legal battles are in class.

Personally, I think student-athletes should be allowed to earn NIL dollars. Other students can make money through endorsements and other channels, so college athletes should be able to do that as well.

I will add this thought. While I can understand what Laettner is saying about NIL, if he was playing college basketball when sponsorship revenue was available to players, are you telling me he wouldn’t have taken advantage of it? Undeniably, he was a divisive player in college, but he’s also a GOAT, and I have to believe NIL deals would have been made his way.

On the hill, Orange United, a NIL commercial collective launched last September, is working hard to raise enough funds for the Syracuse basketball program. The executives of Orange United and its parent company, Atlanta-based student-athlete NIL (“SANIL”), are confident that Syracuse basketball and other sports ‘Cuse will be competitive with their Atlantic Coast Conference peers and others nationally regarding NIL.

Regarding Laettner’s comments in the transfer portal, I completely agree with him. The portal explosion changed the way lists are constructedhow coaches recruit at the high school level and through the portal, and how quickly players sometimes jump to a new program if they’re unhappy with their minutes on the field or other factors.

I think players should be allowed to transfer once without having to sit out a year. College coaches are moving and players should be able to as well. However, I see a lot of players moving to a third or fourth school, and I find it a bit absurd.

The problem here is that unless the NCAA changes course on its current transfer portal policies, we’re going to see tons of players transfer year after year. So while I agree with Laettner that the portal makes it difficult for teams to establish a culture and identity with some cohesion from season to season, that’s where we’re at. Here we are today, and I don’t see things changing.