• Loading stock data...
Monday, October 6, 2025

Former FSU Basketball Players Sue Coach Over ‘Broken’ NIL Promises

The players are the latest in a growing list of college athletes who have alleged that coaches made promises of NIL earnings that aren’t being fulfilled.

Dec 7, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton looks on during the second half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Lenovo Center.
Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Six former Florida State men’s basketball players filed a lawsuit Monday against their former coach, Leonard Hamilton, over $250,000 NIL (name, image, and likeness) payments they allege Hamilton promised them, but never paid. 

Because of a February court ruling barring the NCAA from enforcing NIL rules, players are allowed to negotiate NIL offers before agreeing to commit to a program. But since the ruling, a disturbing new pattern has begun to emerge: Players across the country have alleged that coaches are making them promises of NIL earnings that aren’t being fulfilled.

The FSU players’ lawsuit, filed in Leon County, Florida court, alleges that Hamilton told all six players—and, in some cases, their families—in both verbal and written communication that they would each receive $250,000 NIL payments at some point during the 2023-24 season. The payments would come not from FSU’s NIL collective, “Rising Spear,” but from Hamilton’s “business partners.” Though FSU’s collective was involved in conversations about the payments, the promises came only from Hamilton.

The payments did not materialize, according to the lawsuit, which includes screenshots of group text messages among players, coaches, and a representative from the FSU collective—as well as descriptions of in-person meetings. So the players—Darin Green, Jr., Josh Nickelberry, Primo Spears, Cam’Ron Fletcher, De’Ante Green, and Jalen Warley—refused to participate in a practice leading up to a February home matchup against Duke. They also threatened to sit out the game itself, but Hamilton convinced them to suit up by saying the payments would hit their bank accounts within a week, according to the lawsuit. 

“Hamilton made promise after promise of compensation to the Plaintiffs to secure their commitment to FSU, to prevent them from sitting out of key matchups when those promises were not kept, and to attempt to retain the Plaintiffs as members of FSU’s men’s basketball program,” the complaint read. But the players allegedly never received the money. They have since all either exhausted their remaining eligibility or have transferred to other programs.

At the heart of the dispute is whether the players have grounds to sue, given that Hamilton did not sign formal, written contracts. But plaintiff attorney Darren Heitner says he believes “we have every right to sue for breach of oral contract.” 

“I spent a lot of time speaking with the players and their families, reviewing written correspondence in the form of text messages and emails and the like,” he tells Front Office Sports. “Everyone had the same stories.”

The complaint also notes other recent examples of NIL-related disputes between coaches and players, suggesting the FSU players’ situation is one of many stories of coaches making false promises to lure players to their programs, or convince them to stay. 

In May, Georgia quarterback Jaden Rashada filed the first-known lawsuit of its kind: He is suing coach Billy Napier and others over alleged unfulfilled promises of $13.85 million in NIL earnings that the coaches made to convince Rashada to decommit from Miami. Then, in September, UNLV quarterback Matt Sluka announced a decision to redshirt due to “unfulfilled promises,” referring to verbal commitment made by a UNLV assistant coach that the UNLV collective would pay $100,000. He did not file a lawsuit, however.

“Unfortunately, broken promises have been a constant in the field of NIL since July 1, 2021,” the complaint said.

The complaint could be amended to add more players from last year’s team, Heitner says. The evidence Heitner reviewed suggests that every player on the 2023-24 roster was offered a $250,000 deal, he says. Heitner has already received inquiries from one player’s agent about potentially joining the lawsuit. 

To prevent these situations in the future, Heitner, who has represented athletes throughout the fledgling NIL era, suggests players should ensure they have “a strong business team to protect yourself,” and that “in a perfect world” players would have signed, written contracts. But sometimes, even that isn’t enough. 

“I can’t tell you how many contracts I’ve reviewed even the past month … and the documents that were put in front of me were so one-sided that we really had to spend a lot of time redlining and negotiating to get to a place where we really felt comfortable.”

Florida State released a statement saying: “Upon learning recently of the allegations made by former men’s basketball athletes, the University has worked diligently to determine what transpired last season. Though our inquiry is not yet complete, at this point we know of no unfulfilled commitments by FSU in terms of scholarships or other appropriate benefits or the Rising Spear Collective relative to NIL payments owed to the athletes.”

FSU said it supports Hamilton’s “right to defend himself against these allegations.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Oct 4, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Rose Bowl.

The Improbability of UCLA’s Incredible Upset Win Against Penn State

Before UCLA beat Penn State, donors were deeply unhappy.
Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin reacts during the fourth quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State Has a $50 Million James Franklin Problem

Franklin’s team lost to unranked UCLA on Saturday despite being heavy favorites.

CFB’s New Parity Era: Penn State, Texas Top-25 Exits Signal Shift

Penn State and Texas fall entirely out of the top-25 rankings.

Featured Today

Paul Cartier

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Kōloa Rum Company Rum Rusher
September 27, 2025

Panthers Bubbly, Jets Wine, Manning Whiskey: The Sports Booze Boom

A sommelier dives into the sports booze trend—and tries Jets wine.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium
September 26, 2025

Steelers’ Irish Roots Are Deeper Than NFL Dublin Game

The Steelers have history and the foundation for a future in Ireland.
Cody Campbell

Fox, ABC Reject Ad Accusing Power Conference Commissioners of Greed

Cody Campbell said the ads were pulled after he paid for them.
exclusive
October 2, 2025

Opendorse Is Taking Over Parts of Failed NIL Collective Operator SANIL

SANIL abruptly shut down its operations this week.
Florida State defensive back Renardo Green (8) tackles Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. (22) during a college football game Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
October 2, 2025

Miami–Florida State Rivalry Heats Up With Priciest Ticket in CFB

The get-in price for Saturday’s matchup in Tallahassee is more than $300.
Sponsored

How Soccer Star Jozy Altidore Became a Buffalo Bills Owner

Jozy Altidore discusses building a business legacy off the field.
October 2, 2025

Big Ten’s $2B Private-Equity Deal Talks Face Michigan Resistance 

The conference is in discussions for a private-capital deal of around $2 billion.
Sep 27, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; A detail view of the SEC logo on a chain marker during the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field.
exclusive
October 1, 2025

Fed-Up NIL Collectives Are Bypassing NIL Deal Approval Process

“I have deep concerns as to the longevity of this system.”
Sep 26, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers flags fly after they score in the third quarter against the Houston Cougars at Reser Stadium.
October 1, 2025

Mountain West’s Motion to Dismiss Pac-12 Lawsuit Over Poaching Fees Denied

The Pac-12 wants to avoid having to pay the Mountain West $55 million.
Oregon running back Dierre Hill Jr. picks up yards for the Ducks as the Oregon Ducks face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 27, 2025, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
exclusive
September 30, 2025

College Sports Commission Sets Up ‘Snitch Line’ to Report Rules Violations

The organization is creating an “anonymous reporting tip line.”