Last updated: November 11, 2026
Six of the 10 highest NIL valuations in all of college sports now belong to basketball players, and every one of them is a forward or a center. We think that is the clearest sign yet of how the NIL basketball market works in 2026-27: size and versatility are priced like rare goods, and guards are not in that top tier.
Here is what the NIL basketball numbers say, where they come from, and what they mean for fans following the season.
Quick summary
- On3 lists six college basketball players at $5 million or more in its top 10 NIL valuations across every sport.
- All six are frontcourt players: two centers and four forwards, according to On3’s position labels.
- Football has four players in that top 10, even though a football roster is many times larger.
- These are estimates from a deal-based model, not confirmed contracts or school payments.
NIL basketball’s $5M tier: the six players
The figures below come from On3’s list of the highest valuations in college sports. On3 says it moved from an algorithm to a deal-based model on July 1, 2026, so these numbers reflect this season’s market. Treat every figure as On3’s estimate.
| Player | School | Pos. | On3 est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milan Momcilovic | Kentucky | PF | $6M |
| Flory Bidunga | Louisville | C | $6M |
| Tounde Yessoufou | St. John’s | SF | $5M |
| Thomas Haugh | Florida | SF | $5M |
| Massamba Diop | Gonzaga | C | $5M |
| Tyran Stokes | Kansas | SF | $5M |
Momcilovic and Bidunga sit at No. 2 and No. 3 in the all-sports list, right behind one quarterback. The other four share the $5 million mark with three football players. The six play at six different schools, with the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Big East all represented.
Why the frontcourt leads the NIL basketball market
Our read is that this is a scarcity story. A basketball team plays five people at a time, so one starter changes far more of the game than one starter in football. When that starter is a 6-foot-9 forward who can guard several positions, or a center who controls the paint, there are only a handful of them in the country.
Guards are not missing because they matter less. There are simply more good ones. When supply is deeper, the price at the very top tends to be lower, and On3’s model is now built on reported deals rather than a formula.
There is also a budget angle. Division I schools that opted in to revenue sharing can pay athletes up to $21.58 million in 2026-27 across all sports. A basketball roster is small, so a large share for one frontcourt player is a smaller slice of that cap than it looks. We cover how those school payments work in our guide to who gets paid in college sports.
What a valuation is, and what it is not
A valuation is an estimate of what a player could earn in a year from NIL activity. It is not a public contract. Outside deals worth more than $600 go through the College Sports Commission’s NIL Go review, but those filings are not published player by player, so no outlet has a full ledger.
That is why we label every number here as On3’s estimate. If you want to compare how programs stack up on RallyFuel’s own measure, the RallyFuel NIL Index leaderboard ranks schools by RallyFuel’s NIL Index rather than dollar figures. On3 also keeps a running college basketball valuations list beyond the top 10.
How basketball compares with football
A football roster is many times larger than a basketball roster. Even so, at the very top NIL basketball now outnumbers football: six of the top 10 valuations against four. Our NIL leaderboard across sports tracks how that balance has shifted, and our look at last season’s college basketball NIL market shows where it started.
The point for fans: the most valuable college basketball players this winter are long, mobile frontcourt players. Watch how they are used. If a $5 million forward is playing 30-plus minutes and defending three positions, the market is telling you why.
What to watch as the season builds
- Production vs. price. Valuations move with deals, not box scores. Early-season form can still change who signs what in January.
- Conference play. SEC, Big 12 and Big East schools are all in the top tier. League games will test which of these players carry their teams.
- The guard gap. If a guard breaks into the $5 million group this season, we would expect it to come through national brand deals rather than school payments.
FAQ
Who has the highest NIL valuation in college basketball?
Kentucky’s Milan Momcilovic and Louisville’s Flory Bidunga are tied at $6 million in On3’s top 10 list, the highest of any college basketball players.
How many college basketball players are worth $5 million or more in NIL?
Six, according to On3’s estimates: Momcilovic, Bidunga, Tounde Yessoufou, Thomas Haugh, Massamba Diop and Tyran Stokes.
Are NIL valuations the same as what players are paid?
No. NIL basketball valuations are estimates. Actual deals are private, and school revenue-sharing payments are separate from outside NIL deals.
Why are there no guards in the top NIL basketball tier?
All six $5 million players are forwards or centers. Our view is that elite size and versatility are scarcer than elite guard play, so the market pays more for them.
Follow College Athletes on RallyFuel
Follow these players all season on RallyFuel. Browse every athlete profile, compare programs on the NIL Index leaderboard, and make your predictions for this week’s games on RallyFuel Predictions.
