Hey there,

You remember Mario Chalmers, right? Before he was in the NBA getting chewed out by LeBron James, Chalmers was a superstar for the Kansas Jayhawks. But now that his playing days are over, Chalmers realized something: the NCAA keeps profiting off of his (and countless other former college athletes’) NIL rights.

That’s exactly what we’re diving into today — Mario Chalmers’ beef with the NCAA. We’ll go through the context of the lawsuit he’s been pushing, why the NCAA is working so hard to stop that lawsuit, and how it might shape the future of college sports. Some light reading for your Monday morning.

Hopefully you’re an NIL Wire All-Access subscriber. If not, you can sign up right here and join the team today. Alright — Let’s get into it!

— Cole, Justin and Collin

The NCAA is trying to block Mario Chalmers’ Lawsuit

Mario Chalmers is a legend in Lawrence, Kansas. In 2008, he led the Jayhawks on a wild tournament run – that run included “The Shot” against Memphis, which went on to become one of the most iconic moments in March Madness history. If you don’t remember it, let me jog your memory:

But now Chalmers is leading something else: a class-action lawsuit against the NCAA. He’s claiming that the NCAA and its partners (like Turner Sports) have used players’ moments – like his own famous championship-winning shot – for financial gain while withholding royalties from the athletes themselves.

But now the NCAA is trying to block the lawsuit. It’s not exactly surprising, but it’s an extremely noteworthy development – especially as the House Settlement opens its claims period, which is stretching NCAA money thin. 

We thought this whole saga deserved a deep dive, so without further ado, let’s talk about what’s going on with Mario Chalmers’ NIL lawsuit, and why the NCAA wants to block it.

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