NBA fans reacted to Jalen Rose's humorous interaction on social media. The former NBA player and college basketball legend had an exchange with a user on X after Rose suggested he deserved NIL reparations.
While on air Friday, commentating on the March Madness matchup between Grand Canyon University and the University of Maryland, Rose jokingly said that he needed NIL reparations.
Rose, now a full-time sports analyst with an estimated net worth of $50,000,000, per celebritynetworth.com, was a member of the University of Michigan's iconic 'Fab Five.' They made the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship games in both 1992 and 1993.
The comment was made in response to the University of Maryland's starting unit, who have cheekily been given the nickname "Crab Five." The nickname is a call back to the Michigan Wolverines' team from three decades ago with an added nod to a Maryland staple, crab.
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Rose said that he should get some NIL reparations for the lasting legacy and influence that the Fab Five had on college basketball. His comments prompted one X user in particular to question what they had just heard.
"Did Jalen Rose just say he's needs NIL Reparations?" Asked the user, to which Rose emphatically responded, "Absolutely!!!"
The exchange caught the attention of several fans on both X and Instagram who reacted to Rose's comment and response.
"All that hair dye going to his brain," one Instagram user joked.
Many on Instagram agreed with Rose's sentiment, recognizing the value he and the Fab Five brought to the culture of basketball.
"Nah fr that whole team do lol," said a commenter.
Another fan wrote, "They made so much money off fab 5, baggy shorts and black socks."
Fans on X agreed with Jalen Rose even more wholeheartedly and think his claim makes sense.
One user said, "Facts! Style copied world wide so the bag should be thick."
"All 5 of yall would’ve been millionaires," said another fan.
One fan used a popular GIF while showing the Fab Five respect for representing college basketball.
"Fab Five did put the NCAA on their backs," they wrote.
Jalen Rose weighs in on Michigan Wolverines' March Madness ceiling
Former NBA player-turned-analyst Jalen Rose spoke highly of the University of Michigan heading into March Madness. Rose recently spoke about the Wolverines' chances coming into the tournament where he lauded the team and the performances of several players.
Rose was once a member of the legendary "Fab Five," a group of starters who took the Michigan Wolverines to the national championship game in back-to-back years between 1992 and 1993. The iconic group captured the eye of the sports world and represented the best of what college basketball had to offer.
In addition to being a very successful team, they pioneered many style trends like loose-fitting shorts and black socks. The current Wolverines team may not feature the same degree of personality but they entered the tournament on quite the hot streak. In a one-on-one interview, Rose put no limit on how far this year's team could go.
"That’s a team that should do some damage in the NCAA tournament," said Rose.
He added, “I’m just really excited about the potential of Michigan for sure, and I think the sky’s the limit for what they possibly could do."
Rose joined CBS and TNT Sports for their March Madness coverage just a few weeks prior to the start of the tournament, serving as a game and studio analyst.
