NIL Impact on the 2025 NBA Draft
Name, Image, and Likeness, or NIL compensation, is quickly becoming a game-changer in the college basketball landscape, especially when it comes to decisions about entering the NBA Draft. This offseason, three projected first-round picks, Labaron Philon, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Tahaad Pettiford, shocked many by choosing to return to college. Thanks to the financial support of major NIL collectives at Alabama, Michigan, and Auburn, all reportedly boasting five million-plus NIL budgets, these players opted for another year in school rather than making the leap to the NBA.
Of the three, Labaron Philon’s decision may be the most surprising. Once committed to Auburn and later Kansas, Philon ultimately chose Alabama, where he was projected as a top-15 pick. His return adds to an already loaded Crimson Tide backcourt that includes Miami transfer Jalil Bethea and returning guard and former Auburn transfer Aden Holloway. The financial commitment from Alabama’s NIL collective to secure Philon’s return reportedly rivals what he might have earned as a late lottery pick, illustrating just how competitive college programs have become in retaining elite talent.
Yaxel Lendeborg’s return is another shocker. Projected in the 15–20 range of the 2025 NBA Draft, Lendeborg chose to transfer to Michigan and play for new head coach Dusty May after two dominant seasons at UAB. As a two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-AAC selection, his impact was clear. Now, with a reported NIL deal worth more than four million, Lendeborg enters the Big Ten with All-American expectations and a chance to raise his draft stock even higher.
Pettiford was projected as a late first-round or early second-round pick. He waited until the deadline to announce his return to Auburn. After shining during March Madness and becoming one of the SEC’s breakout stars, Pettiford reportedly secured an NIL deal exceeding two and a half million. With Auburn poised for another Final Four run, Pettiford’s return brings stability and star power to Bruce Pearl’s roster.
Collectively, these three players are reportedly receiving nearly $10 million in NIL deals, rivaling what they might have earned on rookie NBA contracts. Their decisions highlight a growing trend: for players on the fringe of the first round, returning to school can now offer comparable financial rewards along with the opportunity to develop their game, improve their draft stock, and increase long-term earning potential. NIL has fundamentally altered the calculus for top prospects. As these deals grow in size and sophistication, expect to see even more elite talent opt to stay in college, reshaping not just rosters but the future of both NCAA and NBA basketball.
