TJ Beisner on Kentucky's stance with NIL: "We're not going to break the rules."

Name, image and likeness has created a free-for-all for rule-breakers in collegiate athletics — for now, at least. High-profile pay-for-play deals are being signed and ultimatums are being handed out regarding cash demands. Many schools have embraced it, throwing around substantial sums of money to land premier recruits and transfer portal targets.

The issue — and it’s a fairly significant one — with these deals? They remain illegal under NCAA guidelines and most state laws. It’s why NIL guidelines are being updated and a task force is being created in an effort to crack down on pay-for-play, with NCAA sanctions on the table for schools failing to follow the rules.

As other money-happy programs continue to spend, Kentucky basketball has taken a firm stance against pay-for-play while continuing to create lucrative NIL opportunities for its players the “right way.”

“I’ve pushed for NIL for 10 years publicly and no one is more supportive, which is why our players are making more money than anyone, the right way,” Kentucky head coach John Calipari said via Kentucky Director of Player Development TJ Beisner on Tuesday. “NIL won’t hurt us and hasn’t for any kid we’ve REALLY wanted. If NCAA or federal government make changes, we’ll adapt and continue to lead.”

As things stand currently, money-making opportunities at Kentucky are endless, with players able to make as much as they can bring in. The better they brand themselves, the better the cash. That is made clear during the recruiting process with high-profile athletes looking to maximize NIL earnings in college.

No guarantees are made, as state laws and NCAA rules make clear.

“Our stance has been from the beginning that the opportunity to make money at Kentucky is unlimited, much like your opportunity as a basketball player,” Beisner said Wednesday on Big Blue Insider. “When we meet with recruits and we go through our presentation and we talk about NIL, the opportunities here, it’s never about guarantees, just as it’s never about guarantees with shots, it’s never about guarantees with minutes, starting roles, none of that.

“It’s about the opportunity and the support and the people who came before you, what they were able to do. That’s where we started with this last year, and that’s been something we’ve done for a while without financial compensation, just trying to build presence, build identity and build brands for players.”

Kentucky sees what is going on elsewhere and the reported dollar figures being thrown around. The school also knows there are players focused solely on securing one of those deals.

When the dust settles, though, Kentucky believes the hammer will quickly drop on programs taking shortcuts. It’s why the school is being cautious and diligent with the process to ensure sanctions won’t come its way, while also bringing in top-level talent.

“As this has started to change and it’s turned into what looks like free agency, schools are — first of all, this is one thing that everyone should understand. The NCAA has basically said there’s no pay-for-play allowed, no inducement,” Beisner said. “Anything else, follow the specifics of your conference. The conference has said no pay-for-play, no inducements, follow the rules of the state. Then every state is different. The only consistency, the only thing that is against the rules right now with NIL and the NCAA is pay-for-play and inducement. We are obviously in a unique space where it’s new, so there haven’t been any cases, there have not been any investigations and there aren’t any sanctions. So there are people who are dipping their toes into the water. When nothing was said by the NCAA, then they put their foot in the water. You’ve got full-on cannonballs happening right now.

“The difference is, what we’ve been told and what you’re starting to see now with reports and what you’re going to see from our understanding in the very near future, the hammer is going to start being dropped in a lot of ways. A lot of this stuff goes beyond what traditional NIL is.”

Kentucky doesn’t want to jeopardize its ability to participate in the postseason and compete for national titles. The school’s values remain the same and players will continue to do well with NIL in Lexington.

If things change regarding the rules and laws, Kentucky will adjust accordingly.

“This is the advantage we have at the University of Kentucky. We don’t have to compromise our values and we don’t have to be short-sighted, rushing into things,” Beisner said. “The model we have for NIL fits perfectly within the rules as they were constructed. We have adapted and changed and tried to evolve, but are not going toward pay-for-play, inducements, none of that. Cal says if the federal government changes rules and says this is allowed, state laws change, whatever, we’re gonna keep with it. But for right now where we’re at, we are doing everything we believe that upholds the values of the University of Kentucky, that holds up the legacy.”

Calipari wants to honor the seat he’s earned as the head coach at the University of Kentucky. He knows there is work to be done to return to the gold standard of college basketball and hang banners once again. That can’t be done if the program takes shortcuts to get there, shortcuts that could lead to major violations and sanctions.

“That’s a big part of the conversation that we have all the time, that Coach Cal talks about. ‘I want to honor this seat the way it was honored by coach (Adolph) Rupp, coach (Joe B.) Hall, Tubby (Smith) and everybody else that’s sat in this seat. That’s what we’re trying to do,” Beisner said. “We are not trying to be short-sighted, we’re not trying to take shortcuts, we are not trying to make short-term decisions that could potentially compromise the integrity of the program long-term and the ability to be successful, the ability to play in the tournament, the ability to win national championships. Where we’re at right now, we believe we’re doing that the correct way.

“We see the headlines too, read what the people are saying. What I will tell you is, we know what’s going on. Some of it is true, and it’s very much against our understanding of the rules and it is very much against the state law. In terms of who we are, we’re not changing that, and we’re certainly not going to break the rules.”

From a recruiting perspective, Kentucky is extremely confident in where things stand. NIL hasn’t gotten in the way of landing the players UK has wanted to land, Beisner says, and it won’t moving forward either.

“I promise you, we’ve not lost any recruit. I promise you we haven’t. … We have not lost anyone we were recruiting at all because of name, image and likeness. We haven’t,” Beisner said. “… We’re confident not only that we’re ahead, but we’re doing it within NCAA rules.”