Here’s the fascinating question for Syracuse Orange men’s basketball fans in 2026:
Has the NIL era knocked down SU and the old powers…
Or given Syracuse a second chance?
Because former Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball legend Dan Issel just said something that raised eyebrows.
“With NIL, we can’t cheat like we used to.”
That line is probably tongue-in-cheek — but also brutally honest. For the blue-bloods and SEC football powers, there was plenty of money for players in previous eras. Now? Cash has entered the equation for every school.
Issel believes the transfer portal and NIL have fundamentally changed college basketball power structures.
“When you used to count on Kentucky and North Carolina and Duke and Kansas being at the very top, I don’t think that’s going to happen anymore.”
Are we in for a sea change of college basketball success?
Because for decades, programs like:
- Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball
- North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball
- Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball
- Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball
all operated with enormous built-in advantages. Recruiting pipelines, brand prestige, TV exposure, shoe company relationships, institutional influence and massive payrolls for recruiting expenses.
Now? Players follow money, and immediate playing time.
So is that good or bad for Syracuse?
Probably both.
Why it’s bad:
Syracuse used to benefit from old-world college basketball too.
The Dome.
The national brand.
The history.
The mystique of the Big East.
That stuff mattered more before NIL.
Now, a teenager cares more about salary and minutes.
And Syracuse no longer has automatic recruiting gravity. Five straight missed tournaments prove that. The Orange are no longer operating from the throne.
Why it might be GREAT:
Here’s the flip side:
If the traditional powers are losing some of their edge too… maybe Syracuse’s fall isn’t permanent.
Maybe the sport resetting actually helps the Orange at a time its trying to re-establish itself.
Because if Kentucky fans are worried… If UNC fans are worried… If everybody is scrambling to figure out NIL and roster retention… Then Syracuse isn’t alone anymore.
And maybe that’s why Gerry McNamara’s approach is the right one. Instead of trying to out-blueblood the bluebloods, Syracuse is building around:
- toughness
- defense
- development
- roster fit
For years, Syracuse fans feared the sport had passed them by.
But what if the sport changed so dramatically… that everybody is starting over now?
