By Matthew Botta
April 7, 2026
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has become one of the most controversial developments in college sports over the past few years. Some argue it has disrupted the foundation of amateur athletics, pointing to the rise in transfers and bidding wars for talent. Others see it as long overdue, finally giving athletes a share of the value they generate. A place where that tension is visible is college basketball.
On one hand, NIL has created new movements across rosters. On the other hand, it has helped keep elite prospects in college rather than pushing them toward overseas leagues or the NBA G-League. This shift is backed by recent draft data: from 2021 to 2024, an average of four players selected in the top 12 of the NBA Draft came from non-college paths. In last year’s draft, that number dropped to just one, signaling a clear shift back toward college basketball.
But while most conversations focus on how much players are making, a more interesting question is rarely asked: what are they producing for that money? If NIL is truly a marketplace, then players are not just athletes; they are investments. And like any investment, value isn’t defined by cost alone, but by return. By breaking down the top five NIL earners in college basketball into dollars per point, rebound, assist, and minutes played, a clearer picture of value begins to emerge.
The Surge in the NIL Marketplace
The financial landscape of collegiate athletics has undergone a dramatic transformation in a remarkably short period. Just three years ago, in 2023, only 10 NCAA athletes across all sports earned over $1 million from NIL deals. Today, that number has surged to over 50 athletes earning seven-figure annual sums. The average Power 4 men's basketball player now earns approximately $171,272 through NIL, a staggering figure compared to the $15,800 and $21,200 averages seen in other divisions.
This "arms race" for talent has turned college sports into a professionalized environment. As the market reaches new heights, the focus shifts to the efficiency of these multi-million dollar deals.
AJ Dybantsa: The Premium Prospect
At the top of the NIL landscape sits AJ Dybantsa, earning an estimated $4.2 million. Dybantsa is a freshman who plays small forward for the BYU Cougars in the Big 12 conference. His production backs up the hype: 894 points, 130 assists, and 239 rebounds. Still, that level of earning comes at a cost. Dybantsa’s valuation breaks down to roughly $4,698 per point and over $32,000 per assist. When factoring in his 1,218 minutes played, he earns about $3,448 per minute.
Dybantsa represents the modern NIL superstar: less a traditional value play and more a long-term investment. His reported valuation includes high-profile partnerships with brands like Nike and Red Bull, but the bulk of his earnings are tied to collective-driven deals. His price reflects not only his current production but his projection. Brands and collectives are paying as much for future NBA stardom as for present-day performance on the court in Provo.
For programs like BYU, the investment in a player like Dybantsa is about more than just the box score; it is about institutional visibility in an increasingly competitive sponsorship market.
JT Toppin: Efficiency Without Volume
JT Toppin’s $2.8 million NIL valuation comes with a very different profile. Toppin is a junior who, like Dybantsa, plays forward. He plays at Texas Tech in the Big 12 conference. In 870 minutes, he posted 546 points and an impressive 271 rebounds. His per-minute value sits at $3,218, nearly matching Dybantsa's despite significantly fewer minutes played.
Toppin’s numbers highlight the importance of the role. His assist total inflates his cost per assist, but that metric doesn’t reflect how he’s used. As a physical presence and rebounder, Toppin delivers value in ways that traditional box score balance doesn’t fully capture. He may not dominate possession, but he maximizes his time on the floor. His valuation represents a growing trend where specialized skills: specifically rebounding and interior defense: are commanding premium prices in the NIL era.
Cameron Boozer: The Best Value in NIL
If NIL were judged purely on production, Cameron Boozer would be the most underpaid player on this list. Boozer is a freshman who plays forward at Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Earning $2.2 million while logging a group-high 1,273 minutes, Boozer posted 806 points, 150 assists, and 371 rebounds.
His efficiency stands out across the board: just $2,730 per point, $14,667 per assist, and $5,930 per rebound. When adding minutes, the gap becomes even clearer. Boozer costs just $1,728 per minute, by far the lowest among the top five earners. In a marketplace driven by hype and projection, Boozer stands out as something different: a player delivering elite, all-around production at a relative discount. He isn’t just productive; he’s efficient in every sense of the word.
Eli Ellis: When Brand Outweighs Production
Eli Ellis presents one of the most fascinating cases in the NIL era. Ellis is a freshman guard who plays for the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Southeastern Conference. Despite earning $2.1 million, Ellis logged just 750 minutes with 241 points, 55 assists, and 78 rebounds. That translates to $8,714 per point and $26,923 per rebound, the highest marks among this group.
His per-minute valuation comes out to $2,800, a figure that doesn’t align with his on-court production alone. But that’s the point. Ellis embodies a key reality of NIL: value isn’t strictly tied to performance. Social media presence, personality, and marketability all play a role. Ellis has a monstrous 2.1 million combined followers across social media, making him one of the most followed players in the country. This digital footprint, combined with sponsorships from major brands like Dr. Pepper and Under Armour, has made him a fortune.
In many ways, Ellis is proof that in today’s college basketball landscape, influence can be just as valuable as impact. His deal structure mirrors the mass adoption strategies seen in professional sports marketing, where the reach of the individual athlete is the primary product.
Morez Johnson: The Role Player Return
Morez Johnson rounds out the list with a $2 million valuation and a balanced statistical profile. Johnson is a sophomore forward who plays at the University of Michigan in the Big 10 conference. In 954 minutes, he recorded 483 points and 263 rebounds. His cost breaks down to a steady $2,096 per minute, placing him squarely in the middle of the pack.
Johnson’s value lies in consistency. He doesn’t command the spotlight like Dybantsa or the efficiency crown like Boozer, but he delivers reliable production within his role. In NIL terms, he represents a stable, predictable return, something every roster needs. His numbers suggest that Michigan is paying for a "blue-chip" level of consistency: a player who stabilizes the frontcourt and provides a dependable statistical floor.
Redefining Value in College Basketball
This analysis shows that NIL doesn’t function like a traditional salary system. It isn’t strictly based on performance, but it’s not disconnected from it either. Instead, value is shaped by a mix of production, opportunity, and exposure.
That’s why players like AJ Dybantsa are paid for their future, while Cameron Boozer delivers the strongest return on production. At the same time, Eli Ellis shows how branding can drive value beyond the box score, while JT Toppin and Morez Johnson highlight the importance of role and efficiency. As more crypto and tech firms evaluate the sports sponsorship landscape, the data-driven approach to player valuation will likely become even more sophisticated.
Adding minutes only reinforces this idea. Value isn’t just about what a player produces, but how visible these athletes are to the viewer and how far they can grow. In the NIL era, a player’s worth is no longer just about talent; it’s about how that value is defined. Whether through social media metrics or points-per-minute efficiency, the marketplace is continuing to evolve, turning the college hardwood into a sophisticated laboratory for athletic investment.
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