The NCAA Tournament delivers every year, and we usually have a Cinderella team to follow into the second weekend, vying for a chance to make the Final Four. But as Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) continues to grow, that Cinderella magic is becoming a fading memory.
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Power Five conferences boast strong alumni bases that pour millions into their programs with championship hopes. The unfortunate downside is the shrinking opportunity for mid-major schools to bring in high-level talent capable of challenging top programs in a single-elimination format.
ESPN’s Jay Williams voiced his disappointment, saying that NIL has essentially killed the Cinderella run—and he doesn’t see that changing any time soon.
“NIL is the death of mid-major Cinderella runs,” the former Duke star said on ESPN’s Get Up this morning. “It can still happen, but it’ll be more of a rarity. A lot of players from schools like Colorado State, McNeese, and Drake are going to get poached by Power 4, Power 5 conferences.”
This is the new reality in college basketball. All sixteen teams advancing to the upcoming weekend are from Power Five conferences. Still, the matchups are exciting: Maryland, led by projected lottery pick Derik Queen, takes on national title favorite Florida. Arizona, led by Caleb Love, looks to break Duke’s heart one last time.
The college basketball landscape keeps evolving, but one thing remains the same—sports fans will always love March.
THE SWEET 16 IS LOCKED IN 🔒
RT IF YOUR SCHOOL IS STILL DANCIN’ 🕺#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/DImvsyNm72
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 24, 2025
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