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When LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson can make over $1 million a year while still in college, the incentive to “go pro” becomes a lot less urgent. For years, early declarations to the draft were the dream—and often, the only financial option. But the rise of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) earnings is flipping the script.
NIL Is Outpacing Rookie Contracts
In women’s college basketball, the economic upside of staying in school is hard to ignore. The top four picks in the 2024 WNBA Draft earned just $78,831 in their rookie year—less than what some NIL athletes make in a month. Johnson and Iowa star Caitlin Clark have turned their brands into business empires before ever signing a pro deal. Clark, now with the Indiana Fever, made less than many NBA G-League players last season. “The longer the players stay in school, the more they prepare themselves for life beyond the game,” said Courtney Altemus, NIL expert and managing partner at Advance.
Men’s Football and Beyond: NIL Shaping Decisions
It’s not just women’s hoops. The 2021 NFL Draft saw 128 underclassmen declare early—this year, only 70 did. Players across sports, from golf to baseball, now have room to grow, build their brands, and even finish degrees—without rushing into uncertain pro careers. Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles, a projected top-five WNBA pick, shocked everyone by entering the transfer portal instead. Her move to TCU signals a deeper shift: athletes are treating college as a long-term career platform, not just a stepping stone.
The Bottom Line
Injuries remain a risk, but NIL is changing the math. As long as players can make six figures—or more—without leaving campus, expect to see fewer early exits and more stars sticking around. For fans, that means deeper connections, more highlights, and extended college careers from their favorite athletes.
More must-reads:
- Caitlin Clark drops mic on Kelsey Plum's Instagram post
- WNBA All-Star Game ratings paint a troubling picture
- The 'Most NBA games played' quiz
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Caitlin Clark drops mic on Kelsey Plum's Instagram post
Caitlin Clark might be the most popular figure in women's basketball right now, but she continues to draw shots left and right, both on and off the court. The Iowa product has stayed even keeled and mostly unrattled, but that doesn't mean she won't fight back. That's why, in the light of Kelsey Plum's recent comments, she decided to take matters into her own hands and clapped back at her with a simple, six-word message. Plum shared a picture of her during the WNBA's All-Star Weekend, which showed half of a Nike logo in the background. Clark was quick to spot it and just wrote "Thank u for the Nike ad." This happened just hours after Plum seemingly took a shot at Clark and her Team Clark teammates for reportedly not getting involved in their pre-game protest. “The T-shirt was determined this morning. Not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were very present for that,” Plum revealed. “That really needed to be mentioned,” Sabrina Ionescu added while both laughed. WNBA All-Stars warmed up with a T-Shirt that read 'Pay us what you owe us,' ahead of their new CBA agreement, which is expected to be signed in the offseason. WNBA players get around 9 percent of the league's revenue, and they're asking for a bigger share since most of them also have to play overseas during the offseason because of the salary disparity. Plum is the vice president of the WNBPA, so it's not surprising to see her so involved in the protest and the demands. Then again, it's hard to understand the reasoning behind the tattle telling, as not only does it show that there might not be a united front ahead of these negotiations, but it also drives attention away from where it should be.
Emma Jacob Went Missing in Platteville, Wisconsin. Here's What's Known
Emma Jacob was a 22-year-old woman who went missing in Platteville, WI. Details are scant about her disappearance, but tragic news was delivered by a woman on Facebook, who says she is Jacob's sister. And Lafayette County sheriff's officials confirmed to Men's Journal that Jacob is deceased. On July 22, Sydney Wiltsie wrote on Facebook, "My little sister Emma Jacob has been missing since around 9:30 this morning. Her last pinged location was near the mound, or the 'big M' in Platteville, WI. Her car, phone, keys, and purse were all found there. Police are involved and we ask that everyone in the Platteville area keeps an eye out for her and that she is found safe. Please keep her and our family in your prayers. 22 y.o. Female, roughly 5’6”, 120lbs, dark brown curly hair." Then, in an update, she wrote, "Update: She has been found. At this time we ask you please respect our families privacy as we grieve the loss of our daughter, sister, and auntie. Thank you." "My beautiful baby sister and my best friend in the whole world. I love you so much," she wrote on July 23, sharing another photo. That comment thread filled up with people offering their condolences. That hasn't stopped people online from speculating, without evidence, that Jacob's case could be linked to the disappearance of Viterbo college student Eliotte Heinz, who vanished on July 20 after a night in a bar in downtown La Crosse, WI. To be clear, there is no information to tie them together, and they're not even located in the same city. There is no evidence at this point that foul play was even involved in Jacob's death, and searchers are hoping to find Heinz alive. The Lafayette County Sheriff's Department confirmed to Men's Journal that Jacob died, but could not provide additional details on any cause of death, other than saying she was found in "rural Platteville" and that investigators "don't think it's related" to the disappearance of Heinz. Wiltsie limited comments on her post. "I understand everyone wanting to relate this to the other missing girls in Wisconsin but it’s very insensitive to Sydney and her family so maybe take those conversations private and keep this post strictly for information you may have directly related to Emma or prayers for a safe return. I am sure the police are aware of the other cases and working to connect any pieces," one woman wrote on the comment thread. La Crosse and Platteville are more than 100 miles apart, and there is no known link between the two women, with the exception that they are both 22 and from college towns in the Universities of Wisconsin system. Men's Journal contacted Platteville police on July 23 and asked about the Jacob case. Police said that case is being handled by the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Police Department. However, that police department told Men's Journal to contact the UW-Platteville public relations spokeswoman, who has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Pirates Targeting Yankees Top Prospect in Trade
The Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees are primed to wheel and deal ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline. The Pirates have what the Yankees need: starting pitching (Mitch Keller), third basemen (Ke'Bryan Hayes and Isiah Kiner-Falefa) and bullpen relief (David Bednar and Dennis Santana). So what is it the Yankees would have to surrender in a potential deal with the Pirates? "The most ambitious target, which would almost certainly only come in a deal that includes Keller, is switch-hitting outfielder Jasson Dominguez," the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Noah Hiles wrote Wednesday. "Rated the top prospect in the Yankees system and No. 16 in all of baseball last year by MLB Pipeline, Dominguez, 22, is off to a solid rookie year, boasting an above-average OPS and a 0.7 bWAR. "If not Dominguez, middle infield prospect George Lombard Jr. or 6-foot-7 outfielder Spencer Jones, who hit 10 homers in his first 16 games in Triple-A, are a few other desirable targets," Hiles added. "Should the deal be centered around a rental player, or even Bednar or Santana, right-hander Cam Schlittler could be an intriguing pitching project." Lombard, the Yankees' No. 1 prospect according to MLB Pipeline (and No. 34 overall), is all but untouchable. The 20-year-old middle infielder is hitting .210 in 61 games with the Double-A Somerset Patriots. Jones, 24, is perhaps the hottest hitter down on the farm. The Yankees' No. 3 prospect is hitting .408 with 10 home runs in 17 games with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Schlitter, the Yankees' No. 11 prospect, is 1-0 with a 4.35 ERA in two starts with the Yankees. The 24-year-old right-hander landed in the Bronx after Clarke Schmidt went down with an arm injury requiring season-ending Tommy John surgery. As for Dominguez, the 22-year-old is hitting .254 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 83 games this season for the Yankees. At the end of the day, Cashman has to decide which prospects he is willing to trade in order to improve the club's roster down the stretch, and how much is too much for what the Pirates have to offer. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Linked To Red-Hot Reliever Yankees Linked to Former Outfielder in Juicy Trade Rumor Yankees Could Land Infielder With World Series MVP Comparison Will Yankees Use Red-Hot Prospect As Trade Bait? Yankees Backup Trade Target Driving Up Price
The 'Most recent 4,000-yard passer by NFL team' quiz
Happy 32nd birthday to Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott! Dak Prescott has been statistically productive as quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, but he knows that isn't nearly enough to make Cowboys fans happy. Prescott is heading into his 10th NFL season and while he's helped lead the Cowboys to five postseason appearances, he's still yet to lead them back to either the NFC title game or Super Bowl. Injuries have hampered him on multiple occasions in his career, including in 2024 when his season was cut short after just eight games due to a hamstring injury. With training camp underway, Prescott explained how badly he wants to brink the Lombardi Trophy back to Dallas. "I'd give the money I make to win and be broke," he said. Which brings us to today's quiz. How many of the players to throw for 4,000 yards in a single season most recently for each NFL franchise can you name in five minutes? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
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