To say that NIL has changed lives would be true. But has this change always been for the better? Some athletes would tell you yes, definitely. Some coaches and athletes might sway in the middle grounds. And some coaches would say no, absolutely not. Turns out, Jim Larranaga is one of the last category, as he just announced his retirement mid-season as Miami’s coach. Amid his 14th year at the school and 53rd year of coaching overall, the 75-year-old is calling it quits, even though it’s not the sport or the coaching aspect that has tired him out. Rather, it’s NIL. And fans can’t help but call fouls.

“At this point, after 53 years, I just didn’t feel that I could successfully navigate this whole new world that I was dealing with because my conversations were ridiculous with an agent saying to me, ‘Well, you can get involved [with a prospective player] if you’re willing to go to $1.1 million,’ and that would be the norm,” Larranaga said at a news conference yesterday.

Known for his lighthearted nature and humor, the respect he commands is enormous. After all, Larranaga led Miami to six NCAA tournaments and four Sweet 16 appearances, including a Final Four run in 2023.

But what many cannot digest is the fact that much of the success the Miami Hurricanes have seen since 2021 has been with players the school acquired via NIL. “What’s this all about?” Larranaga asks of NIL and transfer portal as the Miami fans also go against him.

NIL becomes a double-edged sword for Jim Larranaga

If you look up the coach’s name on any social media platform, good wishes pour in as he looks forward to retired life at the age of 75. But Jim Larranaga is not bidding a happy goodbye. It’s not him quitting while he’s ahead as the Miami Hurricanes experience unprecedented success after advancing in the NCAA tournament or being a dominant team in general. No, it’s a bitter goodbye.

But some are still angry, “Jim Larrañaga has some nerve.. lmao it’s easy to ask for players to be humble while making 3 Ms a year. Rest in pi–.” 

Nevertheless, North Carolina’s Tar Heels writer Adam Lucas pointed out how Larranaga’s comments didn’t add up. In spring 2023 when his team was 29-8, was making highly publicized NIL deals, and played in the Final Four, the coach had said, “I hope they get as many great deals as they can because I think eventually, they have to learn how to handle money.”

But right now in winter 2024 when his team is 4-8 and just lost a home game to Mount St. Mary’s, he has said, “The opportunity to make money someplace else created a situation that you have to begin to ask yourself, as a coach, what is this all about? The answer is that it’s become professional.”

One pointed out, “Always admired Jim Larranaga from afar, and he’s retiring due to the new era of college sports, but he did make the Final Four in large part due to transfer guard Nigel Pack who reportedly made $800 thousand over two seasons from a NIL deal with Miami supporter LifeWallet.”

It was in the 2022-23 season that Larranaga led Miami to its first Final Four appearance in program history, just a year after the Hurricanes made their first Elite Eight appearance. They were the 5th-seeded team, knocking out No. 4 seed Indiana, No. 1 seed Houston, and No. 2 seed Texas, even if they ultimately lost to eventual national champion UConn.

But as fans mention, it was Kansas State transfer Nijel Pack who was a large influence on their wins. It was later revealed that he had a two-year, $800,000 agreement with LifeWallet, which included a car. But in his retirement announcement, Larranaga revealed that eight of his players had told him that while they loved Miami, they would be entering the transfer portal. And the head coach couldn’t believe it.

Matt Jones, the host of Ky Sports Radio, also seemed frustrated beyond measure, “One last Larranaga (a person who I do actually think was a great coach) His entire Final 4 team was bought by NIL…like the whole team. He adopted NIL before almost anyone To then complain that system that got you the success then ruined it is…well, a tad bit hypocritical”

One fan also asked, “But didn’t Jim Larranaga use NIL to build his entire Final Four team?”

Although the coach made it clear that he was not blaming the players at all, but rather the system, the fact remains that NIL did benefit him at one point and now it isn’t.

Larranaga is not the only one. Among those who have recently left the college basketball scene because of NIL have been Virginia’s Tony Bennett and Villanova’s Jay Wright.

His 274-174 record speaks for itself but this year, Miami is 4-8 and on a losing record as they try to recover the old magic. With Jim Larranaga stepping down, veteran assistant Bill Courtney will be the interim head coach as Miami looks to find someone to fill the space left behind.