NBA Superstars Speak Out on NIL Involvement, Alma Mater Support

The Arizona State Sun Devils are moving up in the recruiting game thanks to one NBA star and a generosity that has yet to be matched.

James Harden, a former Sun Devil himself, recently revealed that he made a six-figure donation to Arizona’s NIL collective, the Sun Angel Collective. Harden’s hard-earned money from a successful basketball career is going back to his alma mater, but many other NBA stars have expressed their hesitation towards a similar cause.

Front Office Sports reported on the news, noting that Harden wanted to elevate his former program in order to compete at a higher level. Because recruiting classes rely so heavily on adequate funding, the Sun Devils needed a boost to get some five-star talent on the roster.

Harden’s generous contributions enabled Arizona State to make a viable offer for the five-star freshman Jayden Quaintance. Many other programs were after Quaintance, and his commitment to play with the Sun Devils shocked college basketball fans.

The 2024-25 season was already off to a good start thanks to Harden.

Many other professional athletes give back to their preferred programs in the form of practice facilities or new gear, but Harden rose above these contributions in order to bring in the best talent possible. Harden cut out the middle man.

The skepticism of cutting major checks for one or two recriuts comes from the uncertainty of keeping recruits. FOS included the thoughts of NBA star Richard Jefferson, explaining that recruits could take a one million dollar offer at one school one year, then move on to another million dollar offer elsewhere the next. The lack of regulation is off-putting.

Harden is dedicated to Arizona State’s program and continues to support the administration as well as its student-athletes.

Despite Harden’s contributions, the Sun Devils are currently second to last in the Big 12 conference, a testament to the hesitations of other NBA stars. Return on investment is important to other donors, but Harden seems to believe that any financial contribution to the program will win out in the long-run.

The evolution of NIL will have a major impact on the decision of donors and alumni, as many have made it clear that until the system is regulated in a different way, monetary donations will be few and far between.

Harden continues to show his support to his alma mater no matter the state of NIL and supports compensating athletes for their work and dedication.