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Players and coaches address the media on day one of the Big Ten NCAA College Basketball Media Days on Thursday, October 7, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo / Doug McSchooler)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – When Big Ten basketball returned to Indianapolis on Thursday it seemed like a whole new world.
Coaches openly embraced the power of the brand and the benefits players received from name, image and likeness rule changes.
The players explained how much the extra money has helped.
The transfer talks were no longer a taboo, the men’s and women’s teams shared the stage – on the same day and at the same time – and everyone seemed relieved to see the first of two media days unfold in person.
“This is my first basketball media day”, said Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren, now in his third year in office. “I was a college basketball player. I like varsity athletics, all sports. But I love basketball. It’s good to be back in the arena here.
Rather than having the traditional launch festivities near the conference headquarters in suburban Chicago, league officials have moved the event to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the site of the two Big Ten tournaments and the same venue where Warren performed. announced that the 2019-2020 Men’s Conference tournament has been canceled.
Players and coaches are set to perform to packed halls again after playing most of last season in front of nearly empty arenas. Five of the 28 men’s and women’s teams will have new coaches, including four people of color.
The most dramatic changes could come between two issues that could change the sport – the NIL agreements and roster management.
When NCAA officials opened the door for athletes to enjoy their fame and compete immediately after their transfer, coaches began to rethink the way they did business.
While some, like Illinois coach Brad Underwood, have preferred to take a hands-off approach to the NIL deals, others, like Iowa women’s coach Lisa Bluder, seem keenly aware of every offer to be made. to come.
But all the coaches agreed – it’s better for the athletes.
“It is high time that this happened for our student-athletes”, Michigan coach and former Fab Five star Juwan Howard said. “I just hope that with the new NIL we don’t take advantage, people don’t take advantage of our young men and women.”
Illinois center Kofi Cockburn is a prime example of those who can benefit. The first-team selection of All Conferences decided to return for their third season only after passing up the chance to leave for the NBA and turning down other transfer offers.
The gains came on Monday when Cockburn and more than 20 other Illinois athletes signed an endorsement agreement with T / CCI Manufacturing in Decatur, Ill. To promote manufacturing jobs. Financial details weren’t immediately available, but every dollar helps and T / CCI is already promoting #CoolLikeKofi and designed a t-shirt with the phrase.
“It’s definitely a plus” Cockburn said. “I know varsity athletes really appreciate this opportunity all over the world. I know I am. It’s a great thing that is going on. This is one more step towards what we can accomplish.
After an outstanding freshman season, Iowa guard Caitlin Clark spent this summer leading the Americans to the FIBA U19 World Championship in Hungary and was named the tournament’s MVP. When she returned home, Clark discovered that she was also in high demand for NIL transactions.
“There have certainly been a lot of things, but I have a lot of people around me to help me” she said. “It was cool to see a lot of different student-athletes doing a lot of different things. I didn’t see anything negative. I think it was good. This is something that is long overdue for student athletes.
Coaches, for their part, learn to manage another recruitment tool: the transfer portal.
More than 2,000 players entered the portal last season, a number that Maryland coach Mark Turgeon says will decline rapidly in the years to come. But Turgeon and other coaches are confident that the less inhibiting transfer rule will change the way they build programs.
“It’s definitely here to stay” Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said. “I think you’ll see fewer programs recruiting freshmen every year. I think more teams will wait until spring. This probably allows you to potentially rebuild faster than the traditional method used for some programs. “
Now is the time to see if the altered landscape will change the planned pecking order in a very different season.
“We are really delighted that our guys are back to a certain normality”, Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. “I love when we go to concerts, when they go to football games, sometimes they can get away from basketball. I would also remind them of the challenges of this league.
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