After $3.5 M investment in alma mater, Richard Jefferson refuses to fund 'unregulated' NIL market

Following a successful career in the NBA, Richard Jefferson is one of countless players who have made a sizable donation to their college basketball program. Despite giving generous donations in the past, the former champion has made his feelings clear on the NIL market in collegiate sports.

Before being drafted 13th overall in 2001, Jefferson spent three years at Arizona. He's maintained a good relationship with the program, reportedly donating as much as $3.5 million following his time there. While countless players are dumping large sums of money into their school's NIL fund, Jefferson has no intentions of following the trend.

During a recent interview, Richard Jefferson was asked about current and former players donating to their college's NIL programs. The longtime NBA forward is skeptical about the practice because the market still hasn't been regulated. He also cited players constantly transferring as a reason not to donate to NIL.

“Why would you invest your money in something that isn’t regulated?” Jefferson said. “You put money into a pool and you can give a kid a million dollars, and the next year someone can offer him $1.1 million at another school, and he can just go."

Jefferson spent 17 years in the NBA, famously winning a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. Since retiring in 2018, he has transitioned into a career as a TV analyst.

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Richard Jefferson spoke on $3.5 million donation to Arizona

When speaking out against NIL donations, Richard Jefferson stated it is more beneficial to a program to give towards something like a practice facility. It is noteworthy that he mentioned this first, as that what's he did at Arionza.

Jefferson's $3.5 million came in the summer of 2007. At the time, he was approaching the end of his tenure with the then-New Jersey Nets. Jefferson made this gesture a few years after securing a $78 million deal.

When Jefferson gave to the program, it was believed to be the biggest individual donation from an alumni to Arizona's athletics department. His money was used to help build a new gym that would be used by the university's basketball and volleyball teams.

After donating, Richard Jefferson touched on giving back to Arizona. For him, it felt good to give back to a place that played such a crucial part in his journey.

"I’m just really happy to be able to give back to the school that’s meant so much," said Jefferson.

Upon this generous donation, Arizona decided to name the new gymnasium in Jefferson's honor.

During his nearly two-decade-long career in the NBA, Jefferson made over $116 million. At his peak, his annual salary got as high as $14.2 million. That came in 2010, during his brief run with the San Antonio Spurs.