Maryland Basketball: Head coach Kevin Willard reveals NIL budget for 2025
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There expectations are always high in College Park when it comes to the basketball program, and the 2024-25 season is no different. Third year head coach Kevin Willard has the Terrapins off to a solid start, sitting at 12-4 on the season and fresh off of a massive win over No. 22 UCLA on Friday night. The Terps are currently sitting at No. 10 in the Big Ten with an overall record of 12-4, including 2-3 in conference play. And although it looks like this particular Maryland team has a shot at making some noise as the season progresses, the reality of today's college athletics is that NIL is going to be a critical component of ensuring success moving forward.
According to an article published by Inside MD Sports, program sources indicated that Maryland's NIL budget for the basketball program this year was somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 million. That number is expected to increase next season.
Back in December, Willard provided some insight during his weekly radio appearance.
"I'll say this, an assistant coach from Arizona got arrested and put in jail for talking about money, and now all of a sudden, we're going to be spending $4 million, $5 million per year on a basketball roster. It's changed so dramatically, from calls with agents... if you talked to an agent [a few years ago], you would be suspended by the NCAA. Now, half my day is talking to agents and their clients, and what they want, what they're looking for," Willard said.
"The coach today, it's more than just a coach. You're spending an enormous amount of time looking at next year's possibilities of getting guys here in the portal and making sure everybody's happy this year," he said. "It's changed dramatically in two years, if you look at what we're doing and what we're going to start spending on players."
Although other blue blood programs certainly have deeper pockets when it comes to utilizing NIL to lure in elite talent on the hardwood, Maryland finds itself in a unique position given it's cozy relationship with Under Armour. Back in June, Maryland Athletics announced an extended partnership with the Baltimore-based apparel company, a partnership that includes an NIL Brand Ambassador program for student athletes.
Our extended partnership with @UnderArmour includes:
— Maryland Terrapins (@umterps) June 17, 2024
- An NIL Brand Ambassador Program, allowing Maryland student-athletes to earn direct compensation from Under Armour for promoting Under Armour products on the student-athlete's social media channels.
- Under Armour will… https://t.co/7uRTGmGewn
As the world of NIL continues to evolve, there's no question that Maryland should have some unique advantages that other schools around the country simply don't have access to. Whether or not that translates to big wins on the recruiting trail and ultimately the field/court, only time will tell.
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Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. In January of 2025, he took over as Publisher for Maryland On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.
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