Bill Self Says NIL Makes Competition Even More Tight in Men's Basketball

NIL has evened the playing field in men's basketball, something Bill Self talked about in a candid fashion.

Feb 8, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self looks at his bench during the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bramlage Coliseum / Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

The 2024-2025 men’s college basketball season has been extremely competitive so far. 

On two separate days this year, both the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked teams have been upset.

Meanwhile, in Storrs, Connecticut, the back-to-back defending champion UConn Huskies — who are aiming to be the first team in men’s sports (college or professional) to three-peat since the Los Angeles Lakers (2000-2002) — dropped out of the AP Top 25 rankings this past week for the first time since 2022-2023.

Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball head coach, Bill Self, spoke candidly about this topic. 

"In the past, certain programs could have three players ranked in the top 15 in America on one roster. Now, you couldn’t afford to get three guys like that, so they’re going different places,” Self said to reporters in a press conference.

Self's comments align with what is very true about the 2024 recruiting class; 15 of the top 20 players went to different programs — four more than the 2021 cycle, per On3, which came right before NIL's legalization.

“I’d say there’s more parity, and I would say there’s a bigger chance for what is perceived to be an upset in today’s game than what is actually an upset just because everybody’s going to have guys that are good enough to play,” Self said.

In the SEC alone, 14 of the 16 teams have been ranked in the AP Top 25 at some point this season. Vanderbilt, which has never quite been synonymous with basketball dominance — athletic dominance alone — has had two court-stormings this year against Kentucky and Tennessee.

Vanderbilt was ranked earlier this year for the first time since 2015-2016 and is off to its best 25-game start since 2011-2013

Elsewhere, Florida has raced off to its best 25-game start since 2013-2014, behind the play of Alijah Martin and Walter Clayton Jr., who are both in the Top 50 of men’s college basketball NIL valuations per On 3.

Self's Kansas squad has struggled this year with unexpected upsets against teams like West Virginia and narrow victories over programs like Central Florida which further validates his theory that NCAA men's basketball has become significantly more competitive with NIL.

This season has become more unpredictable than what's been seen in a while.

Despite mid-major programs having a harder time finding high-quality prospects, there seems to be a case that the Vanderbilts of college basketball have a better chance of success now.

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