Virginia should take note of college basketball’s recent trailblazers

The NIL world that eventually forced coach Tony Bennett into retirement will eventually slow down to some extent, but that doesn’t mean there will be a level playing field. In 2025-26, the revenue sharing model in the House deal would allow schools within major conferences to allocate approximately $20 million to be distributed among the sports within their athletic departments, which are football and men’s basketball. Schools like Virginiawho have notably excelled in Olympic sports are still operating in the black on behalf of the two aforementioned profitable companies.

However, the projected salary cap will fall victim to outside players. Players will still have the ability to make deals with businesses beyond the revenue already generated from the general model, as long as those deals reflect fair market value and are reported to the database above $600. This will aim to eliminate the current pay-to-play practice. Now, will schools learn to hide pay-to-play deals, that is, promotions that promise millions to a certain player without a specific commercial purpose? Without a doubt. Will the NCAA protect itself from schools seeking to gain any kind of competitive advantage? This remains to be seen.

Alas, Athletics Director Carla Williams and her staff are at a critical juncture that will determine the future of Virginia athletics. The university has always done things differently, whether it be through high-level academic standards or coach Tony Bennett’s unique development system that pitted disposable structures against each other.

If Virginia wants to adapt to the current landscape in men’s college basketball, there are two streets, one of which I believe the athletics department hopes to take. While the NIL plays a minor role in Division I programs, several programs remain alive (and well) following a model oddly similar to Bennett’s throughout 2010, relying on player development, retention and transfers planned to fill certain roles. NIL did not play as large a role in the success of each program as it did in the others.

Here are some “case studies” of schools with rich cultures – that rely less on money than schemes and fit into a system – that should restore some hope to a men’s basketball program that has a few question marks, especially regarding the tough, zero-competition aspect of it. from other universities participating in major conferences.

*Outside San Diego State, all of these schools are located higher winning percentage in the last three years (ZERO/transfer portal era) than in the three years leading up to 2021-22. Besides, recent article by Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander polled more than 100 college coaches regarding men’s college basketball’s top players (NIL), with 27 schools listed but none of the five below featured. Each of the five finished in the top 20 in the AP poll last season, and three finished in the top 10.

1. San Diego State, 75% winning percentage from 2021-22 (previously 78.7%)

The West Virginia Aztecs haven’t deviated from their defensive style. Despite competing in the weaker Mountain West, coach Brian Dutcher has led his team to a national championship and a spot in the Sweet Sixteen since the NIL took off; moreover, Virginia’s null resources could certainly rival those of the likes of the Aztecs. Player development and retention (though this year’s roster reflects significant turnover) remains a relative strength in a world in which players come and go as they please.

That doesn’t mean the Hoos will be looking to hire Dutcher if things go south, but San Diego State offers a glimmer of hope for schools hoping to maintain their identity. Defense, hustle and sacrifice come to mind as pillars of the Aztec program – not far from Virginia’s. Over the past few seasons, the Flying Dutchman has attracted players from universities such as Seattle, Oakland, California and TCU, turning them into national championship contenders with the Aztecs. Frequent use of portals can have its benefits if you find those hidden gems on your recruiting journey and, more importantly, keep them in-house for several years.

2. Iowa State, 66.7% from 2021-22. (40.7% previously)

The Cyclones are facing a Louisville-like situation after a 2-22 campaign in 2020-21. Coach TJ Otzelberger replaced the faltering Steve Prohm and immediately got Iowa State back on track by implementing a tenacious defensive style and recruiting lesser-known tacklers who would be willing – as in Dutcher’s system – to do the little things right. That personality has produced incredibly impressive results during his three-year tenure, including a second-place finish in the Big 12 regular season and a conference title last year.

Otzelberger has a reputation for “building the best defense in college basketball and finding hidden gems along the way to recruiters.” noted C.J. Moore of The Athletic.. “He doesn’t want guys who prioritize NIL or want to be promised anything. He prefers to tell recruits the truth and then see if they agree with his assessment.”

This sounds a bit like a tactic that would appeal to Bennett (and now perhaps Sanchez) in this money-crazed situation. If you’re building a culture without NIL, you have to set a specific path to be followed – in this case, developing lesser-known talent into players who fit your system to a T.

1. Houston, 86.6% from 2021-2022 (previously 84.0%)

Consistency is key in coach Kelvin Sampson’s program. With a tough defense, emphasis on conditioning and careful selection through the portal, the Cougars have torn through the regular seasons both in America and now in the Big 12. Duke or UConn, but Sampson doesn’t seem to care – they have a higher winning percentage over the last three years, and their players are fully invested in a system that rewards hard work and persistence. Look no further than 6-foot-1 Jamal Sheed, the reigning National Defensive Player of the Year and the No. 191 prospect in his class to graduate from high school.

Sampson, like the other players featured below, took great care to retain players during their top years; however, he will replace his stars (Shead and guard Marcus Sasser) with portalers if he feels it won’t sacrifice a defense-oriented system. Oklahoma’s Milos Uzan now faces the daunting task of replacing Sheed, and former Baylor guard L.J. Cryer has excelled as Sasser’s replacement.

NIL’s resources in Houston are not unlimited, but they are certainly still needed to attract recruits. Instead of relying on the portal and other promises, Sampson’s winning history should do enough to attract prospects willing to work on defense before coming into the league. They are the polar opposite of Alabama or Arkansas (both portal/NIL sanctuaries), but they work their way through the competition every year.

2. Purdue, 82.9% from 2021-22 (63.2% before)

Perhaps no one has done more with less this decade than Purdue’s Matt Painter. After losing to Virginia in the Elite Eight in 2019, the Boilermakers responded with an appearance in the national championship and back-to-back Big Ten regular-season titles the last two years. Painter has only made two moves since the start of the NIL/Portal madness in 2021-2022 and has also avoided Portal selections.

Four-year center Zach Eadie, ranked No. 75 at his position coming out of high school, has won back-to-back national Player of the Year awards under Painter, and the No. 33 point guard prospect in the 2022 class, junior Braden Smith, is now the preseason favorite. for the title of Best Player of the Big Ten. Players simply develop in Purdue’s system.

Defense isn’t as strong a strength for Purdue as it is for Iowa State and Marquette, but the Boilermakers have clearly adjusted to the changing situation while staying true to their ways. Are you familiar with a program with high player retention rates, underrated recruiting classes and regular season success? Painter is also the closest thing to a Bennett-type figure in college basketball.

3. Marquette, 71.4% from 2021-22. (previously 60.4%)

A familiar face in the Commonwealth, coach Shaka Smart has largely isolated himself from the changing landscape since taking over at Marquette three years ago. During that period, the Golden Eagles program only added two transfers – double-digit scorer Darryl Morsell and NBA draft pick Olivier Maxence-Prosper – as Smart successfully created a culture in which player retention is the norm rather than an anomaly. Another defensive-minded coach, he built Marquette into a Big East contender year after year while also producing many NBA prospects.

Coincidentally, defensive Today’s teams are uncannily similar to the Virginia teams of the first few years of Bennett’s tenure. Sampson and Smart are very selective about transfers, like Purdue’s Painter, because they instead enjoy player development and the opportunity to separate their culture from that of transfer- or money-driven teams. It’s harder to turn lower-ranked players into offensive stars, but you can still win with a defensive mentality or a roster full of players with experience in a specific role in a specific system.

All this suggests that it is quite possible to create a unique culture in the space of the Scientific Research Laboratory. The new wave has certainly taken its toll on Bennett and has certainly put a strain on the aforementioned coaches. However, identity (as with Bennett’s rosters in the 2010s) goes a long way in challenging the pay-to-play structure that currently dominates college sports.

It may take some time for Virginia to reposition itself as a national power, but there is hope for light at the end of the tunnel.

Virginia Basketball: Isaac McNealy ‘excited’ to play for Ron Sanchez

UVA Basketball: How Jalen Worley’s departure will affect Virginia’s PG situation

UVA basketball guard Jalen Worley will enter the transfer portal

UVA Basketball: Three breakout candidates for 2024-25 season.

UVA Basketball Head Coach Candidates: Should Ron Sanchez Lose the Job?

Why did Tony Bennett resign? UVA basketball coach explains his decision