College basketball is on its way to surpass a billion in NIL spending. Yes, that is a billion with a “b.” In 2025-26, an estimated $932.5 million was spent on NIL products and services for men’s and women’s basketball, according to a study from Opendorse. For context, in Year 1, schools spent an estimated $314.4 million. So recruiting in the new NIL era in the NCAA has largely gotten financial, according to South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. 

“How much is it going to cost us? That’s the conversation. You’ve got to lead with that,” Dawn Staley said  ahead of their Elite 8 clash against TCU “Because you don’t really want to waste your time. You either are going to have enough to pay players, or you don’t. And you move on.”

Women’s college basketball players are now earning millions. For example, Flaújae Johnson’s NIL valuation stood at $1.5 million per On3. So, with such earning potential, the blame can’t go to the students. According to an NCAA study, the probability of going to the WNBA is 0.9%, while becoming a pro beyond the US is 8.9%. 

Even if you are the crème de la crème, like Johnson, who is expected to be a lottery pick, injuries and adversity can arrive unexpectedly at any time. Capitalizing on your opportunities is the only option. Of course, not every player takes their decision based on money but it is a major factor for most of them. So, coaches like Staley need to now become accountants and start budgeting for their players. 

“Because although you can promise a young person this or that, if your budget says otherwise — I don’t like to promise anything that isn’t available to us,” Staley further said. “I don’t want to have to go out and get the money because you could be told no and then your back is against the wall.”

Fortunately for Staley, she has plenty to work with. According to Al.com, South Carolina has the largest budget in all of the SEC with $13.1 million. But they also lead the league in revenue with $6.9 million. Now, that is not just the NIL budget but women’s basketball spending as a whole, in which Staley herself takes $4 million in salary. Her salary is the highest among womens college basketball coaches. 

Regardless, like Staley explained, a program needs resources to succeed because that is how the system has been created. Yet, Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks focus on the other side of being a student athlete too. But even as recruiting becomes increasingly transactional, Staley hasn’t abandoned the traditional ‘student’ in student-athlete.

Dawn Staley Reveals Threatening Past Player To Graduate

Multiple coaches across college basketball have expressed concerns regarding the NIL overshadowing the academics. “If a kid transfers four times, is he going to graduate from that school? There’s no way,” Arkansas men’s coach John Calipari said. “He can’t graduate. So now you’re going to be done playing without a college degree. You have no ties to the last school you went to.” So, even though the system is changing and Staley is adapting to it. She maintains strict discipline on the academic side of her players too. 

“The degree isn’t really a conversation, but it’s a plan. We always have a plan no matter how many credits you come in with, a plan to get you out on time. That might be a little bit more strenuous on them as far as how many credits you need to take,” Staley said. “There are so many pockets of times in which you could take classes that you can get them out. Anytime they come on a visit, you get the transcript and then we send the transcript off to admissions and they give us what they need, and that’s part of the conversation.”

The 2023-24 season was an academic high for the program. As they marched to the title game, the team turned in a 3.438 team GPA for the academic year. It earned the Gamecocks a spot on the Special Mention list of the WBCA Academic Top 25. It was also the best mark in program history. So, Staley is elevating her players on the court and off it. But there was one who couldn’t and it came to Staley threatening her. 

“All of our kids graduate,” Staley said. All but one in my career. And I told her I’m going to threaten her on social media if she doesn’t get with the program.” Staley is intense and will continue to be.