Ezra: An Insane Number of Schools Tried to Lure Mike Mitchell Jr. Out of Dinkytown with Big NIL Offers

[BleedGopher]

Per Better Than...

Mike Mitchell Jr. staying with Minnesota Gophers despite A LOT of NIL offers elsewhere​

And if you believe what Mike said this week, it wasn’t due to lack of offers. According to the Star Tribune, Mitchell Jr. was fielding over six calls per week with NIL offers from different schools, trying to lure him out of Dinkytown and into the transfer portal, all the way up until the portal closed on May 11th.

Mike Mitchell’s feeling of loyalty to Johnson superseded any opportunity to have a bigger NIL payday in the portal. Still, there was more than a half-dozen schools calling the Gophers’ top three-point shooter weekly about transferring again this spring.
“Nonstop calls until that last day when the portal closes [on May 1],” Mitchell said. “It’s real tough because you have a lot of stuff thrown at you. But in the end, I think I made the right decision because I trust Coach Johnson and the rest of the staff. I believe in what we can do this year.
Mike Mitchell Jr – StarTribune

Despite the attention, Mike is sticking around. He obviously loves and trusts Ben Johnson. The specifics of Mitchell’s offers or their amounts remain undisclosed and we do not know how much he is making in Name, Image and Likeness dollars here in Minnesota.

An Insane Number of Schools Tried to Lure Mike Mitchell Jr. Out of Dinkytown with Big NIL Offers

Minnesota Gophers basketball player Mike Mitchell Jr. chose to remain committed to coach Ben Johnson despite receiving numerous offers.

www.minnesotasportsfan.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[GopherBlood777]

"fielding over six calls per week with NIL offers from different schools, trying to lure him out of Dinkytown and into the transfer portal", there really needs to be some regulation regarding this. Maybe I am overreacting, but it seems very sleazy. It could fall well within the "rules" for all I know.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

"fielding over six calls per week with NIL offers from different schools, trying to lure him out of Dinkytown and into the transfer portal", there really needs to be some regulation regarding this. Maybe I am overreacting, but it seems very sleazy. It could fall well within the "rules" for all I know.

as I understand the "rules," such as they are - it all depends on who is making those calls. if a coach is calling a player who is not in the portal, then that would be against the rules as I understand them.

the grey area comes when the calls are coming from someone who is not directly employed by a school - an 'agent,' someone tied to a collective, or an individual making an NIL offer.

in theory, I could call up Joe Stud at a top-20 school and offer them big bucks if they would transfer to MN, and the MN coaches/AD might not know anything about it.

the NCAA draws a distinction between acts that constitute a violation and acts that amount to "impermissible contact" - a lesser offense. the key seems to be whether the contact was done in collaboration with or under the direction of a coach or staff member. but the whole thing is very murky.

 

[GopherBlood777]

as I understand the "rules," such as they are - it all depends on who is making those calls. if a coach is calling a player who is not in the portal, then that would be against the rules as I understand them.

the grey area comes when the calls are coming from someone who is not directly employed by a school - an 'agent,' someone tied to a collective, or an individual making an NIL offer.

in theory, I could call up Joe Stud at a top-20 school and offer them big bucks if they would transfer to MN, and the MN coaches/AD might not know anything about it.

the NCAA draws a distinction between acts that constitute a violation and acts that amount to "impermissible contact" - a lesser offense. the key seems to be whether the contact was done in collaboration with or under the direction of a coach or staff member. but the whole thing is very murky.

The statement says the calls were coming from schools, so maybe they are misrepresenting what actually happened. Are these agents tied directly to a school? That's where it gets pretty murky.

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

A lot of offers. But not a lot of money. Probably about $50K.

We lost 3 guys that were $500K+.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

The statement says the calls were coming from schools, so maybe they are misrepresenting what actually happened. Are these agents tied directly to a school? That's where it gets pretty murky.

again, based on my reading of NCAA regulations, if a coach, staff member or employee from a school made a direct call to a player on another team who is not in the portal, that would be an NCAA rules violation. But - the contact has to be documented in some way - phone records, texts, voicemail, etc.

then again, it could be that some of these schools just don't give a bleep because they don't think that anyone will file a complaint, or that the NCAA would actually investigate. It's like driving down the freeway at 100mph. if you don't get pulled over by the cops, there are no consequences.

 

[upnorthkid]

as I understand the "rules," such as they are - it all depends on who is making those calls. if a coach is calling a player who is not in the portal, then that would be against the rules as I understand them.

the grey area comes when the calls are coming from someone who is not directly employed by a school - an 'agent,' someone tied to a collective, or an individual making an NIL offer.

in theory, I could call up Joe Stud at a top-20 school and offer them big bucks if they would transfer to MN, and the MN coaches/AD might not know anything about it.

the NCAA draws a distinction between acts that constitute a violation and acts that amount to "impermissible contact" - a lesser offense. the key seems to be whether the contact was done in collaboration with or under the direction of a coach or staff member. but the whole thing is very murky.

technically, no you can't. that is illegal under NIL legislation.

Current NCAA rules require that any NIL deal be a quid pro quo arrangement. This means that athletes must do something in return for the money they are paid. According to the NCAA, "Student-athlete NIL agreements should include the expected NIL deliverables by a student-athlete in exchange for the agreed upon compensation and student-athletes must be compensated only for work actually performed."15

National Collegiate Athletic Association. “Name, Image and Likeness Policy: Question and Answer.”



The point is to prevent anyone from paying an athlete simply for playing their sport and disguising it as an NIL payment. "Pay-for-play," as it's often called, has long been forbidden under NCAA rules. That could change, however, if the May 2024 proposed court settlement goes into effect.1617

We'll see how that changes this fall, but as of now it is still illegal to say you'll pay them if they sign. obviously no way this would be enforceable unless they start doing wire taps and things.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Call the teams out by name, provide records of the contacts.....Mitchell has nothing to lose at this point, he is in his final year. Until someone is willing to call teams out by name and provide proof of the contacts nothing will ever change and the tampering will continue.

 

[LesBolstad]

Call the teams out by name, provide records of the contacts.....Mitchell has nothing to lose at this point, he is in his final year. Until someone is willing to call teams out by name and provide proof of the contacts nothing will ever change and the tampering will continue.

It's not actually the schools calling

 

[Holy Man]

The statement says the calls were coming from schools, so maybe they are misrepresenting what actually happened. Are these agents tied directly to a school? That's where it gets pretty murky.

My guess is a lot of places see the U players as low hanging fruit. Reaching out to guys they think they can easily outbid the current team. The vultures are picking the bones .

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

technically, no you can't. that is illegal under NIL legislation.

Current NCAA rules require that any NIL deal be a quid pro quo arrangement. This means that athletes must do something in return for the money they are paid. According to the NCAA, "Student-athlete NIL agreements should include the expected NIL deliverables by a student-athlete in exchange for the agreed upon compensation and student-athletes must be compensated only for work actually performed."15

National Collegiate Athletic Association. “Name, Image and Likeness Policy: Question and Answer.”



The point is to prevent anyone from paying an athlete simply for playing their sport and disguising it as an NIL payment. "Pay-for-play," as it's often called, has long been forbidden under NCAA rules. That could change, however, if the May 2024 proposed court settlement goes into effect.1617

We'll see how that changes this fall, but as of now it is still illegal to say you'll pay them if they sign. obviously no way this would be enforceable unless they start doing wire taps and things.

Does anyone actually believe that Payne is selling BMW's and fur coats in Texas? And that Hawkins is popular there in commercials too?

 

[kix4kix]

The opaqueness of this favors the agents the most I feel

 

[60's Guy]

Call me skeptical that Mitchell was getting offers of $50,000 and up elsewhere.

 

[upnorthkid]

Does anyone actually believe that Payne is selling BMW's and fur coats in Texas? And that Hawkins is popular there in commercials too?

not at all. though i do think it would be amazing to see someone/school get absolutely fried by this while it's in the transition stage.

 

[MNVCGUY]

It's not actually the schools calling

I'm sure in most cases it isn't but players should still put the names of the people reaching out to them out there because it would probably be very easy to figure out which programs they are working with.

If the NCAA wants to get a hold of it (and who knows if the NCAA even gives a crap about any rule stuff anymore) then the only way it happens if it players go public with who is contacting them while they are not in the portal. Because in theory, nobody should be reaching out to them if they are not in the portal.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

A lot of offers. But not a lot of money. Probably about $50K.

We lost 3 guys that were $500K+.

Way more than 500k for those others. Mitchell probably stayed because he loves the coach here and believes in the culture he’s building

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Call me skeptical that Mitchell was getting offers of $50,000 and up elsewhere.

I’d be surprised if they were not.

 

[row19gopher]

Rules? Didn't know there were any rules anymore, and the NCAA certainly doesn't have the power to enforce them anymore. When was the last case the NCAA actually won in court?

 

[short ornery norwegian]

we'll see how much changes if/when the anti-trust case is finally settled and schools can begin paying players directly.

I suspect that the top-level players will still be getting outside offers - call it NIL or call it something else.

but if a guy like Mike Mitchell is getting something directly from the school, there might be less pressure on him to jump to another school strictly for money.

it should - I hope - equalize things somewhat for the schools like MN that haven't had big NIL programs, but are members of a big-revenue conference and can now pass some of that money directly to players.

 

[60's Guy]

I’d be surprised if they were not.

Mitchell was not in the portal. Thousands of guys were. Thousands were not. Why is a school going to try and convince Mitchell to get in the portal if the whole list is everybody on a NCAA team? I can definitely see agents calling to find clients and painting pictures but coaches I would think at $50,000 plus would be pitching other guys.

His stats are fine and maybe that's what they went by. But for me...he can't defend anybody.
He goes kamikaze and free lances out of team concept for the odd steal but imo he is a defensive liability....the reason the other team scores when his gambles are unsuccessful on top of when his man blows by him for 2 or a lob dunk.

Everybody wants 6-5 to 6-7 wings to defend the 3 better. Mitchell is 6-2.
He's erratic with the ball to my eyes even though stats don't confirm that...dunno just not a guy I'd be targeting with basically the whole NCAA of players in a free for all.

How many teams are spending $50,000 plus on fringe starters? Are there 25 teams? 50?
A hundred? Absolutely, maybe that many but not more than that are paying $50,000 for someone on the fringes of starting. So, to me there are so many guys I'd be attempting to lure ahead of him.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Mitchell was not in the portal. Thousands of guys were. Thousands were not. Why is a school going to try and convince Mitchell to get in the portal if the whole list is everybody on a NCAA team? I can definitely see agents calling to find clients and painting pictures but coaches I would think at $50,000 plus would be pitching other guys.

His stats are fine and maybe that's what they went by. But for me...he can't defend anybody.
He goes kamikaze and free lances out of team concept for the odd steal but imo he is a defensive liability....the reason the other team scores when his gambles are unsuccessful on top of when his man blows by him for 2 or a lob dunk.

Everybody wants 6-5 to 6-7 wings to defend the 3 better. Mitchell is 6-2.
He's erratic with the ball to my eyes even though stats don't confirm that...dunno just not a guy I'd be targeting with basically the whole NCAA of players in a free for all.

How many teams are spending $50,000 plus on fringe starters? Are there 25 teams? 50?
A hundred? Absolutely, maybe that many but not more than that are paying $50,000 for someone on the fringes of starting. So, to me there are so many guys I'd be attempting to lure ahead of him.

I’m of the belief most teams with NIL want players with just one more year left. That eliminates a huge amount in the portal. He’s a good 3 point shooter. Water under the bridge anyways. He’s back.

 

[60's Guy]

I’m of the belief most teams with NIL want players with just one more year left. That eliminates a huge amount in the portal. He’s a good 3 point shooter. Water under the bridge anyways. He’s back.

Good point on the one year left. I agree wholeheartedly and wasn't factoring that.
And he did shoot 40% from 3... I'll go so far as to say I may have under estimated his desirability to others.

 

[kix4kix]

I’d be surprised if they were not.

No way these offers were for less than 6 figures, no agent is calling for 5k or less, just not worth their time tbh

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

No way these offers were for less than 6 figures, no agent is calling for 5k or less, just not worth their time tbh

It wouldn't make any sense to target Mitchell Jr. for $100K.

Then again, what DOES make sense. Some teams probably want to be mediocre or bad...like us.

 

[kix4kix]

It wouldn't make any sense to target Mitchell Jr. for $100K.

Then again, what DOES make sense. Some teams probably want to be mediocre or bad...like us.

Supply and demand, he's a starter in one of the best leagues in the country(albeit bottom tier) at a high major program

There are worse players that got more, trust me

 

[Spaulding!No!]

I like it. Ben is playing the media.

 

[howeda7]

No way these offers were for less than 6 figures, no agent is calling for 5k or less, just not worth their time tbh

Some of these "agents" are just guys friends, cousins etc. So who knows.

 

[Bobek]

Another possibility is that these “representatives” are just casting a wide net, hoping to snag some interest from players like Mitchell. Then they sift through the handful of players who showed interest and make an actual pitch to their top guy.

 

[CoffeyTime]

Not sure why folks think Mitchell Jr wouldn’t be coveted. He’s an elite 3 point shooter that can also be a secondary ball handler. I’m not necessarily Ben’s biggest fan but I promise it is okay to give him some credit for some of the guys he’s brought in.

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

Not sure why folks think Mitchell Jr wouldn’t be coveted. He’s an elite 3 point shooter that can also be a secondary ball handler. I’m not necessarily Ben’s biggest fan but I promise it is okay to give him some credit for some of the guys he’s brought in.

With Mitchell as our weakest link...we'd have had a very good team if everyone returned. Our other starters were all $500K to $1M on the open market.

I might revise him up a little. But you can find a lot of guys like him.