“There aren’t going to be a lot of those. There aren’t going to be a lot of high school kids that can compete at the professional level.” Michael Johnson is not merely expressing the obvious. He’s laying bare the harsh reality of the track’s structure. Quincy Wilson, the 17-year-old sprinting sensation, has dazzled with his speed, yet he remains absent from Grand Slam Track. Why? Because, as Johnson explains, the sport isn’t built to seamlessly transition young prodigies into its biggest stages. But Johnson never promised a full house in the first place, and he has made that point amply clear again.

Speaking with CITIUS MAG’S Chris Chavez, Johnson made it clear that GST was never meant to have everyone on board immediately. “Are all of the athletes going to come in Year One? Come on, no.” Stars like Noah Lyles opted out this time, and young talents like Wilson weren’t given a place. So what if Quincy Wilson is one of the most sought-after track and field athletes at the moment? For Johnson, that hardly matters and he explained why!

The Olympic champion isn’t buying into the hype-driven approach some wanted Grand Slam Track to take. “Let’s make—so let’s build our entire league around the fact that right now we have a high school kid who’s really popular and really fast and who’s an anomaly… but then we now we’re always got to be looking for another Quincy Wilson, right? But there’s only one Quincy Wilson.” His message is clear in the interview with CITIUS MAG Basing an entire professional league’s foundation on a teenage sensation is shortsighted. Quincy Wilson’s talent is undeniable, but banking on his presence alone would be a mistake. The sport needs a structure that outlives the momentary buzz of a single prodigy. Does that mean the 57-year-old doesn’t recognize Wilson’s athletic prowess?

Well, he doesn’t forget to acknowledge that Wilson is, after all, one a kind. But that does not mean the entire league should be fashioned around the teenager. “He’s the only one, and he’s a generational talent. There’s not going to be another one probably for another 20, 30 years—maybe 10 years, still too long for us.” Instead of making an exception for one anomaly, GST is focused on building a sustainable system where talent rises naturally over time. It’s not about chasing the next Quincy Wilson; it’s about ensuring the sport itself thrives long-term. That means making decisions based on what’s best for the future of the professional track. Not just what’s exciting today. Moreover, this debate over whether including high school and collegiate athletes in GST is the way to go or otherwise, isn’t just the only criticism, the former track sensation has had to deal with!

From the moment Grand Slam Track was announced, Johnson faced endless skepticism. “One thing that I’m proud of—if you go back and look from the day it was announced… there were all sorts of questions.” Critics doubted the viability of a new track league, questioned its financial backing, and even mocked its visibility. Grand Slam Track wasn’t built to please everyone in year one. It was built to last, and if that meant leaving Wilson out for now, so be it. But even without his participation in the GST, the teenage track sensation has a lot going on and has a shining future ahead of him!

The NIL effect: Quincy Wilson’s golden ticket to college and beyond

College athletes now benefit from the NIL revolution, which places Quincy Wilson in a central position. The 17-year-old Olympic gold medalist represents more than a generational talent because he functions as a valuable marketing opportunity. Schools now compete for Wilson’s athletic talent but also seek the prestige and financial advantages that accompany recruiting a star athlete of his caliber under NIL regulations. All major college programs, including Texas A&M, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas Tech, actively pursue his services. Through NIL, Wilson must choose a college based on business factors, which will determine the trajectory of his professional career.

Rodney Green and Justin Gatlin discussed this exact impact on their Ready Set Go podcast, where Green emphasized how NIL allows a top-tier athlete like Wilson to leverage his success. “If you’re the national record holder, gold medalist, someone like Quincy… I would encourage most of them to use the leverage you have to get NIL.” The game has changed. Before NIL, even Olympic champions had to wait for pro contracts to see real money. Now, Wilson has the chance to cash in while still competing at the collegiate level. And let’s be real—whichever school lands him isn’t just getting a sprinter; they’re getting a brand.

The recruitment process for the 17-year-old has become a major event in track and field history. He has already visited Texas A&M and Georgia while receiving interest from Tennessee and Texas Tech. NIL has transformed his recruitment process into an intense strategic game. Universities compete for his services by offering both exceptional coaching and lucrative sponsorship deals. The university he selects will establish a new standard for future Olympic-level high school athletes to transition from amateur to professional status through NIL benefits. The question is, will track and field ever create a system where prodigies like him don’t just make headlines but also have a clear path to compete at the highest professional level right away?