As NIL money to college athletes continues to increase and the NCAA looks to address the changes to the system that it did not foresee, Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young tweeted advice to high school basketball players considering their future in the sport.
For athletes who are offered six-digit sums of money or more, it is easy and understandable to accept the life-changing payment, even if it may come at the cost of choosing a school that would have better on-court fit or chemistry with coaches.
Young advised that athletes who think they have a true chance to make it to the pros should focus not on the short-term benefit of money but instead the long-term goal.
HS 🏀kids, if you REALLY like that & think you have a chance, remember, DON’T think about this short term (NIL,Donors) money & get sidetracked of the main goal & get complacent or steered in the wrong direction based off something short term..
The Main Goal is what we all want!
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 15, 2022
Top-tier athletes, especially in boys basketball and football, are being steered toward schools for massive monetary figures. From Young’s vantage point, athletes who have a good chance to make this type of money in the future should emphasize finding the right school to go to develop their craft. Money can come later.
Even with that message, it doesn’t sound like Young thinks it is bad that collegiate athletes can cash in on their name, likeness and image. He emphasized in his tweet that his message applies to players who really think they have a chance to go to the pros.
It is an important distinction, because even though these players were already in the top percentage of high school athletes, the vast majority will not go pro. This includes thousands who play sports with fewer professional and economic opportunities than sports like football, basketball and baseball.
Young’s message remains relevant for all, though — stay focused, hone your craft, and don’t let distractions get in the way of your success.
