The NCAA's new era isn't pretty

This should technically be a slow time of year on the college hoops beat, but there’s been nothing slow about the last 17 days. That’s because all of the revenue sharing principles laid out in the settlement to the landmark House v. NCAA case are finally going into effect. We expected there to be chaos, confusion and conflict, and the first wave of change has delivered those aplenty.

At the heart of all these changes lay two important questions: The role of NIL collectives, and the specter of athletes someday being paid as employees and gaining the ability to unionize. I explored those questions and all the latest developments in today’s column, which includes an exclusive interview with Jeffrey Kessler, one of the plaintiffs’ lead attorneys in the House case.

The developments on the pay-for-play front will be fast and furious, and I promise we’ll help you follow all the action. In the meantime, there is plenty going on in the world of high school recruiting this week as events like the Nike EYBL Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C., get underway. Our social channels on X, Instagram and TikTok are closely monitoring what is happening, especially with respect to the many international players who will be playing in college next season. Be sure to give us a follow.

We also have a ranking of the top women’s transfer classes in the Big 12 as well as a sneak peek at the top freshmen for the 2025-26 season. Pretty hot stuff for the dead of summer, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Have a great Thursday and thanks as always for your support of Hoops HQ. —Seth

Chaos! Confusion! Conflict! The New Era in College Sports Is off to a Rocky Start

By Seth Davis

Well that didn’t take long, did it?

We are barely a fortnight into the post-House, revenue-sharing, NIL-Go era, and already the knives are out. The parties that negotiated the landmark House v. NCAA settlement are at loggerheads once again over the definition of the word “valid.” Coaches and athletic directors are wringing their hands over what they describe as a lack of structure and direction. The guidance that has been issued only stirred more confusion and outrage. A solution from Congress is still not materializing, and might not to hold up to legal challenges even if it does. Ditto for the executive order that could be forthcoming from President Trump. Meanwhile, players are consummating NIL deals under significant uncertainty, legal challenges are mounting, and the age-old debate over employment and unionization is heating up anew.

Some disarray was to be expected given the massive changes that went into effect on July 1, but the new paradigm has significant problems that are bound to linger. The cross-fire flared up last Thursday when the College Sports Commission, the agency that was formed to govern the new rules, sent a letter to all Division I athletic directors informing them that fundraising events run by NIL collectives did not meet the threshold of a “valid business purpose” for third-party payments.

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Top 10 Freshmen for the 2025-26 Men's Hoops Season

By Alex Squadron

The 2024-25 freshman class was truly special, accounting for nine of the top 10 picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. And yet, the 2025-26 freshman class has a chance to be even better. The new crop of rookies is loaded with talent, from do-it-all wings like BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa to dynamic lead guards like Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and dominant big men like Duke’s Cameron Boozer.

We rank the top 10 freshmen to keep an eye on next season:

1. AJ Dybantsa, 6-foot-9 wing, BYU

The top-ranked player in the 2025 recruiting class, Dybantsa is a versatile, athletic wing who excels on both ends of the floor. With his size and shotmaking ability, he has drawn comparisons to NBA superstars like Tracy McGrady and Paul George.

Dybantsa became the first five-star prospect to sign with the Cougars, joining a stacked 2025-26 roster that includes reigning Big 12 Most Improved Player Richie Saunders and Baylor transfer Robert Wright III. Playing with U19 USA Basketball this summer, Dybantsa caught the eye of many NBA reps. “He was so damn good this week, it’s ridiculous,” one NBA scout told Hoops HQ’s Krysten Peek during USA training camp in June. “I’ll be surprised if he’s not the No. 1 pick next year.”

2. ...

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