K-State basketball transfer Nijel Pack gets massive NIL deal with Miami Hurricanes
When former Kansas State guard Nijel Pack revealed his transfer destination on Saturday, the announcement felt more like a NBA transaction than a college basketball player switching teams.
Pack’s decision came with much more than a simple graphic on social media.
It also came with a big payday for the 6-foot guard who averaged 17.4 points per game and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors while playing for the Wildcats as a sophomore.
Shortly after Pack announced that he planned to finish his college basketball career with the Miami Hurricanes, a South Florida attorney named John H. Ruiz revealed that Pack has signed a new NIL contract worth $800,000 with a company called LifeWallet.
LifeWallet is a Miami business that offers to help its customers “take control of your health through innovative technology.” Pack will earn $400,000 per year under the deal and also receive a new car while he plays for the Hurricanes.
Welcome to the new college sports landscape where players are allowed to profit off their name, image and likeness.
Pack had some modest NIL deals while he was a member of the Wildcats. Last season, he promoted Manhattan businesses such as a local restaurant and a local car dealership.
One of his last posts on social media as a K-State basketball player was a picture that was an advertisement for the car dealership.
But he will enter a much higher tax bracket now that he is playing for Miami.
Pack announced his intentions to transfer away from K-State shortly after the Wildcats parted ways with former coach Bruce Weber and hired Jerome Tang Weber’s replacement.
Pacl was thought to be one of the biggest names on the transfer market after eclipsing 30 points in three different games last season and leading the Wildcats in scoring while shooting 43.6% from three-point range.
Pack initially said he would consider a return to K-State, but that seemed like a long shot after he reportedly received interest from traditional powers such as Duke, Gonzaga, Illinois, Ohio State and Purdue.
Miami wouldn’t normally stand much of a chance in a recruiting battle against those schools, even though the Hurricanes are coming off an appearance in the Elite Eight. But times are changing. Miami landed Pack thanks to a major assist from LifeWallet, which was willing to pay him nearly $1 million in endorsement money.
Pack will finish his college basketball career getting paid better than some professional players.
This story was originally published April 23, 2022 at 6:29 PM with the headline "K-State basketball transfer Nijel Pack gets massive NIL deal with Miami Hurricanes."