Report: 'Get-in price' for Pharrel Payne was $500k

KSTP's Darren Wolfson speculated that former Gophers big man Pharrel Payne received a NIL deal "north of $500,000." on the latest podcast episode of Minnesota Sports with Mackey & Judd on the SKOR North network.

"He got north of $500,000, that was the get-in price. If you want Pharrel it will take you a minimum of $500,000," Wolfson said Thursday on the latest podcast episode of Minnesota Sports with Mackey & Judd on the SKOR North network.

Wolfson went on to claim the $500,000 Payne got from Texas A&M is more than the Gophers have in NIL money as a program, though specific program amounts are not public information so his claim can't be confirmed.

In his exact words, Wolfson said: "Pharrel Payne is getting north of $500,000 at Texas A&M. The entire Gophers' roster right now, doesn't touch that."

Wolfson continued by expressing a view that recruiting as a coaching staff is no longer as valuable as it used to be. He talked about Gophers assistant coach Dave Thorson building up a great relationship with Payne throughout high school, but it didn't matter in the end, because in the current landscape, money talks.

Minnesota's entire roster has been hit hard by the portal this offseason, losing Elijah Hawkins, Payne, Joshua Ola-Joseph, Braeden Carrington and possibly Cam Christie to name a handful of the seven players who have entered the portal.

If the Gophers want to compete like a premier program, they will need to have the same NIL budget that premier programs have. This is now how college basketball operates and it doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.