College Hoops

NCAA rules keep college basketball player from earning NIL money so the walk-on brokers deals for teammates

NCAA rules keep college basketball player from earning NIL money so the walk-on brokers deals for teammates


The Denver Pioneers might be the only college basketball team in the nation with their own in-house NIL agent. Denver guard Carlos Fuentes, a native of Spain, can’t make money from most NIL deals due to his status as an international player, but he is making the best out of the situation by acting as an agent for his teammates and getting valuable work experience along the way.Β 

Earlier this week, Fuentes closed a deal for three of his teammates withΒ Saucy’s Southern BBQ, a restaurant just across the street from the University of Denver’s sprawling campus. Fuentes recruited Pioneers redshirt freshman guard Ben Bowen, junior guard Tommy Bruner and sophomore guard Tevin Smith to represent the restaurant through the academic year because they know how to use social media, and also because of their personalities. In addition to being the best player on the team, Smith, Fuentes said, is definitely the funniest and never fails to make people laugh. Meanwhile, Bruner has a big appetite, which is perfect for a restaurant deal.

Fuentes is not making any money negotiating deals for his teammates, but he said this is a perfect opportunity for him to build his resume and help his team succeed along the way.Β 

“I cannot get any endorsements, I can’t get any money, but I can be the guy who gets the deals for other teammates,” Fuentes said. “I’m really excited. I’m very passionate about this and this is just the beginning. It just motivates me more to keep going, get more players, more deals, more local places.”

Carlos Fuentes earned a spot on Denver’s roster as a walk-on earlier this year.
Hayden Smith

Some international college athletes have found ways to get around the NIL restrictions. Kentucky star Oscar Tshiebwe – born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – earned a big paycheck during the wildcats’ trip to the Bahamas this summer. However, Fuentes is not as well known as Tshiebwe. He grew up wanting to be a professional basketball player, but even his path to playing Division I college basketball hasn’t been a traditional one.

Fuentes attended Menaul High School, a small international school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He graduated in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said his basketball recruitment didn’t go too well and he began…

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