The leading 25 most valuable college basketball players (pre-NIL) since

The name, image and likeness (NIL) guidelines have actually allowed college stars to excel in different lanes beyond their sports. While they’re all making a push toward nationwide titles this season, they can also delight in the spoils of their effort with sponsorships and endorsements.Nearly 2 years into the NIL era, college basketball is changing.Iowa star Caitlin Clark had actually supposedly made more than$1 million in recommendation offers prior to she signed with Nike earlier this year. Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe and Gonzaga’s Drew Timme are apparently earning 7 figures, too. And Miami’s Cavinder twins, Haley and Hanna, have actually turned their millions of fans into countless dollars.It’s about time.For years, college athletes lobbied for the opportunity to take advantage of NIL opportunities, however the NCAA obstructed those aspirations.2 Associated That’s why it’s reasonable to wonder how the past generations of college basketball players may have fared if they would have had

the chance

, so we decided to rank former stars according to the NIL worth they might have had throughout their time in college.We can only imagine what Lisa Leslie, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Sheryl Swoopes, Cheryl Miller, the Fab 5 and other 1980s and 1990s stars may have created during their careers. However we have actually decided to confine this list to the last 20 or two years. Any professional athlete who played from the 2000-01 season up until 2020-21 is eligible.Criteria included a mix of each player’s accomplishments and popularity in college. Then, we utilized their existing social media followings and post-collegiate recommendations as a barometer(not in all cases, naturally) to determine their prospective brand power during their particular time as Division I college basketball stars. It’s not an exact science, however we tried.Here are the leading 25 most valuable college basketball players(pre-NIL )given that 2000: play 1:32 Sabrina Ionescu scores a game-high 19 points and grabs 11 rebounds as Oregon advances to the Pac-12 semifinals.The stats: 26 triple-doubles (NCAA career record), 3-time AP first string All-American (2018, 2019, 2020 ), No.

1 pick in the WNBA draft(2020) Social network following: 701,000( Instagram), 135,000(Twitter), 264,000( TikTok )Post-NCAA recommendations: BodyArmor, Nike, State Farm, Xbox NIL capacity: As a superstar at Nike’s flagship school, Ionescu would have spent her

days with the Ducks sifting through profitable NIL provides that would have made her a young millionaire. play 0:45 Zion Williamson’s foot burst through his tennis shoe less than a minute into Duke’s game versus North Carolina on February 20th, 2019. The statistics: Wood Award winner (2019), AP first team All-American, No. 1 choice in the NBA draft(2019)Social network following: 5.3 million(Instagram

)Post-NCAA recommendations: Gatorade, Mountain Dew, 2K Sports, Nike NIL potential: When Williamson’s shoe braked with President Obama being in the front row throughout

a game against the Tar Heels in 2019, Nike’s stock worth dropped$1 billion– an indication of what

his NIL impact on the marketplace may have been. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images The stats: Two-time NCAA champion(2007, 2008), two-time Wood Award winner( 2007, 2008), No. 1 choice in the WNBA draft (2008)Social network following: 1 million(Instagram ), 395,000( Twitter)Post-NCAA endorsements: Adidas, CarMax, Capital One NIL capacity: You can’t make a list of the greatest college players of all-time without discussing Parker, who would have made a lot of NIL cash off that fact alone. Richard Clement/ Icon SMI through Getty Images The stats: Wood Award winner(2007), No. 2 choice in the NBA draft(2007), Big 12 player of the year( 2007) Social media following: 21 million(Twitter ), 13 million(Instagram)Post-NCAA recommendations: Nike, Gatorade, 2K Sports, Beats by Dre NIL potential: He only spent one year at Texas, however Durant was must-see TV whenever he stepped onto the court. play 0:33 Oklahoma freshman Trae Young leads the country in scoring and assists. After another huge game Friday

versus Northwestern, Young solidifies his case as the most skilled guard in the

country.The stats: No. 5 pick in the NBA draft (2018), All-Big 12 first team( 2018), AP first team All-American(2018)Social network following: 4.8 million (Instagram)Post-NCAA endorsements: State Farm, Adidas, BodyArmor, eBay NIL capacity: NBA stars sent him text and showed up to his games throughout his one

magical season at Oklahoma, where the point guard would have entrusted to a great deal of cash in his pocket if NIL guidelines had remained in location. Diana Taurasi celebrates with her teammates another NCAA Championship win in 2004 Elsa/Getty Images The stats

: Three-time NCAA champ (2002, 2003,

2004), No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft (2004 ), 2003 AP national player of the year Social media following: 95,000( Twitter), 280,000(Instagram)Post-NCAA endorsements: Nike, BodyArmor NIL capacity: Taurasi is one of the greatest players in women’s college basketball history, which is why the former UConn star– almost 16 million people saw her three national championship victories– would have interested significant brands when she was in college. The stats: NCAA champ(2012), two-time Wood Award winner (2012, 2013 ), No. 1 choice 2013 WNBA draft Social media following: 112,000 (Twitter), 674,000 (Instagram)

Post-NCAA endorsements: Nike NIL capacity: Griner was a 6-foot-9 force in women’s college basketball during her 4 years at Baylor– she has the NCAA’s all-time record of 748 career blocks, and dunks (18 ).8. Maya Moore( G/F, UConn Huskies, 2007-2011 ) The stats: Two-time Wood Award winner(2009, 2011), two-time NCAA champion(2009, 2010), No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft (2011 )Social media following: 273,000 (Instagram), 234,000(Twitter )Post-NCAA

endorsements: Jordan Brand name, Pepsi Max, United Airlines

NIL capacity: After her

embellished collegiate career ended, Moore ended up being the very first female to sign a handle Jordan Brand name, but the cash would have shown up earlier had Moore been permitted to sign NIL deals in college. play 1:01 On Dec. 6, 2008, Davidson’s Steph Curry struck a couple of nice shots, including a very long 3-pointer, that

made LeBron James leave his seat to cheer him on.The stats: No. 7 pick in NBA draft (2009), AP first-team All-American (2009 )

, NCAA record for many 3-pointers in one season (162 in 2008)Social network following: 48 million(Instagram )Post-NCAA recommendations: Under Armour, Chase Bank, Nissan Motor NIL potential: LeBron James sat courtside as Curry starred in the 2008 NCAA tournament, the exact same year the future NBA super star would have made a substantial sum on NIL deals if he ‘d had the chance.10.

Jimmer Fredette(

G, BYU Cougars, 2007-2011)Delighted 10-year anniversary of Jimmermania pic.twitter.com/90IX28wfrx!.?.!— TBT(@thetournament)March 16, 2021 The statistics: AP first string All-American(2011), No. 10 choice in the NBA draft (2011), Wood Award winner (2011 )Social network following: 135,000 (Instagram), 144,000( Twitter), 100,000(TikTok)Post-NCAA endorsements:

361(Chinese shoe brand name)NIL capacity: “Jimmer Mania”was so big BYU had to sneak Fredette in and out of its arena whenever he played.11. Carmelo Anthony(F, Syracuse Orange, 2002-03 ) The stats: NCAA champion (2003 ), No. 3 choice in the NBA draft(

2003 ), Many Outstanding Player in the 2003 NCAA competition Social network following: 7.9 million(Instagram)Post-NCAA endorsements: Jordan Brand, Foot Locker NIL capacity: His run through the 2003 NCAA tournament changed Syracuse basketball.12. Take Legal Action Against Bird(PG, UConn Huskies, 1999-2002 ) play 2:39 On episode 14 of DangerTalk with Russell Wilson, previous UConn star Sue Bird assesses how Geno Auriemma managed her recruitment prior to

she devoted to the Huskies.The stats: Three-time winner of Nancy Lieberman Award(country’s finest point guard), led team to 39-0 record and

national title in 2001-02 season, No. 1 choice

in the WNBA draft (2002 )Social media following: 194,000 (Twitter ), 704,000(Instagram)Post-NCAA endorsements: Nike, State Farm, American Express NIL capacity: More than 5.68 million

individuals viewed Bird lead UConn to an 82-70 win over Oklahoma in

the 2002 championship game game. That’s strong sponsorship-generating numbers.

play 1:02 On March 15, 2008, Tyler Hansbrough scores 26 points, including the game winner, to lead the Tar Heels to a 68-66 win over Virginia Tech.The statistics: Wood Award winner(2008), NCAA champ (2009), No. 13 pick in the NBA draft(2009)Social media following: 28,000(Instagram), 75,000(Twitter)Post-NCAA endorsements: Panini NIL potential: Before Oscar Tshiebwe, Hansbrough had been the only Wooden Award winner in the one-and-done period to go back to school for another season

. play 2:50 Former Wildcats player John Wall breaks down in

tears while thanking his mother throughout his Kentucky Hall of Fame speech.The stats: No. 1 choice NBA draft(2012), AP first string All-American(2010), SEC player of the year (2010 )Social media following: 4.5 million(Instagram)Post-NCAA endorsements: Reebok, Adidas NIL capacity: Wall created the”John Wall dance” that mesmerized the

college basketball landscape during his lone season at the Department I level.< img src="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/35305231/

“/ > play 2:27 Skylar Diggins takes a seat with Kevin Negandhi to discuss how the Irish can build on last year’s success.The stats: AP first team All-American (2012, 2013)

, 2-time Nancy Lieberman Award(2012, 2013), No. 3 pick in the WNBA draft(2013)Social media following: 1 million( Instagram)Post-NCAA endorsements: Puma, Nike, Sprint, BodyArmor NIL capacity: Jay-Z(her very first representative)gave her a Mercedes when she finished from Notre Dame.Anthony Davis at Kentucky(2012) pic.twitter.com/YLETDLvGVb!.?.!— ThrowbackHoops(@ThrowbackHoops) December 22, 2018 The stats: Wooden Award winner

(2012), No. 1 choice in the NBA draft(2012), The Majority Of Impressive Gamer in the 2012 NCAA tournament Social network following: 7.2 million(Instagram )Post-NCAA endorsements: Nike, Frito-Lay

, Red Bull NIL capacity: Davis ended up being the

face of the one-and-done motion after leading Kentucky to a national title more than a decade back. The stats: AP first team All-American(2001, 2002), NCAA champion (2001 ), No. 2 choice in the NBA draft (2002 )Social network following: 566,000 (Instagram), 624,000(Twitter

), Post-NCAA recommendations: Adidas NIL potential: Long before he ended up being an analyst, he was the young point player for Duke everyone wanted to see. play 1:55 Doris Burke informs Mike & Mike a fourth champion would make Breanna Stewart the most accomplished ladies’s college basketball player ever, however can’t state she’s been much better than Diana Taurasi.The stats: Four-time Most Impressive Gamer in the NCAA competition, four-time NCAA champ(2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

), two-time Wood Award winner (2015, 2016) Social network following: 122,000 (Twitter), 309,000 (Instagram )Post-NCAA endorsements: Nike,

Puma NIL capacity: Among the most embellished college basketball players, males’s or females’s, of all-time, Stewart would have invested her time in UConn with millions in the bank off NIL opportunities. play 0:34 South Carolina females’s basketball forward A’ja Wilson reads a letter she wrote to her high school self,

discussing the terrific choice she made to play for the Gamecocks.The statistics: Wooden Award winner (2018), 3-time All-American (2016,

2017, 2018), NCAA champion (2017)Social network following

: 60,000(TikTok), 142,000 (Twitter),

500,000(Instagram)Post-NCAA endorsements: Nike, Ruffles, Mountain Dew NIL capacity: Wilson was the star who assisted Dawn Staley’s South Carolina end up being a nationwide powerhouse. The stats: Six integrated AP initially-and second-team All-American looks, five combined Final 4 looks, No. 1 choice in the 2012(Nneka )and 2014( Chiney)WNBA drafts Social network following: Nneka(220,000 on Twitter, Instagram combined)and Chiney( 388,000 on Twitter, Instagram

, TikTok combined)Post-NCAA endorsements: Adidas (both Nneka and Chiney)NIL capacity: The sis

, who led Stanford to the Last 4 in 2011 and 2012, were understood for their adaptability, supremacy and intelligence while with the Cardinal. play 0:59 On Nov. 18, 2008, Steph Curry scored a college profession high of 44 points, but Davidson was beat by Blake Griffin and Oklahoma.The stats: Wood Award winner (2009), No. 1 choice in the NBA draft( 2009 ), Huge 12 player of the year (2009)Social network following: 3.8 million(Instagram

)Post-NCAA endorsements: Kia, Jordan Brand Name, Train NIL capacity: Griffin was a high-flying, soaking star during an electric two years at Oklahoma.

play 3:07 Elena Delle Donne joins her new colleague Swin Money to talk getting drafted, daytime drama and tanning.The statistics: Two-time AP All-American(2011, 2012), led her team to the 2013 Sweet 16, No. 2 pick in 2013 WNBA draft Social network following: 270,000(Twitter), 43,000(TikTok), 464,000(Instagram)Post-NCAA recommendations: Nike, Gatorade NIL potential: Delle Donne would have been a marketing superstar at Delaware, which finished leading 25 nationally in participation with the All-American on the roster in 2013. The statistics: Wood Award winner (2006)

, No. 11 choice in the NBA draft(2006), 457 career 3-pointers (second all-time in NCAA history )Social network following: 250,000(Instagram), 241,000 (Twitter) Post-NCAA recommendations: AdidasNIL capacity: As

both a remarkable and polarizing player at Duke, Redick would have made the haters much more upset if he ‘d been permitted to sign major sponsorship offers. play 0:28 Washington’s Kelsey

Plum sinks the lefty floater to surpass Jackie Stiles for

the most points in NCAA women’s basketball history. The basket

likewise provided Plum 55 points for the game against Utah.The stats: AP first string All-American(2017), No. 1 pick in WNBA draft

(2017), Wooden Award winner (2017 )Social network following: 42,000 (TikTok), 101,000 (Twitter ), 640,000(Instagram)Post-NCAA recommendations: Under Armour, Nike, GSTQ NIL capacity: The NCAA’s all-time leading scorer (3,527 points )invested her time at Washington chasing history, and doing it in design.

play 0:34 On April 1, 2018, Arike Ogunbowale sinks a game-winning 3-pointer for the Fighting Irish to declare the championship game against the Bulldogs.The statistics: NCAA champ( 2018), Most Impressive Gamer of the tournament(2018); ACC athlete of the year(2018), No. 5 pick in the WNBA draft(2019)Social network following: 44,000(Twitter), 158,000(Instagram ), 10,000 (TikTok) Post-NCAA recommendations: Nike, eBay, Cock’s Sporting Item NIL potential: Ogunbowale might have spent her offseason on the beach with all the NIL cash she would have gathered

after she made the game-winning shots in

both the 2018 nationwide semifinal and championship games.