Dan Hurley: $14 million is minimum NIL budget for teams to be ‘in contention’ in college basketball

Two aggressive spenders especially stood out during this past transfer portal window. SUBSCRIBE to the On3 NIL and Sports Business Newsletter In the modern era of college basketball, Hurley pointed out the need to invest in a roster as part of the quest for a title. While he admitted the exact numbers are unclear, the UConn coach estimated $14 million as the floor for the more competitive teams.

“Right now, if you want to be in the mix and have a chance to contend, I think anywhere, I would imagine, to be a true contending – and people can undersell how much they’re going to end up spending,” Hurley told Rob Dauster and Jeff Goodman . “Everyone’s gotten players for cheaper. Obviously, the agents are going to say a number, the players are going to say a number.

“Staffs don’t want to look like we’re paying the max. But you’ve got to be spending, I’d imagine, somewhere north of $14 [million] if you want to be in contention to compete at the top of the big league or to try to play deep into the tournament. ” Dan Hurley: Retention can lead to ‘hometown discount’ Last year, UConn’s roster sat between the $8 and $10 million range, On3 previously reported .

The Huskies are likely to be in that range once again this year after retaining key pieces such as Silas Demary and Braylon Mullins . When it comes to retention, though, Dan Hurley said that’s where the idea of a “hometown discount” can come into play. Of course, there are ways to find value on the recruiting trail, though he admitted there’s a bit of luck involved when finding those players for such a bargain.