Senator Rand Paul blasts college basketball players for screwing up the athletic culture: "We are going to see rap stars instead of basketball stars"

The athletic culture of college sports was changed irrevocably when the NIL ruling was passed in 2021. There were proponents and opponents to it of course, but it can't be denied that the athletes are much happier with it than without.

The issue of rewarding college student-athletes for their abilities in a multi-billion environment has been a passionate debate for years now.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul reignited the debate with a vengeance when he claimed that the athletic culture change is negative. He said this during a session examining the LIV Golf-PGA Tour merger.

Senator Paul stated that antitrust laws should not be enforceable in NCAA-related matters. His comments caused a firestorm on Twitter. Sports fans felt his comments were slanted toward a particular race and were out of touch with reality.

“Now everybody that plays basketball in college is gonna be driving a Bentley or a Rolls. I mean, we’re gonna be seeing rap stars instead of basketball stars.”

It was pointed out that 44% of male college basketball players and 30% on the women's side were black and that the comments were subtly directed at them.

The era of NIL deals in athletic culture is here to stay

There are several athletes who are not only cashing in on the NIL era, they are diversifying their portfolios within it.

Various student-athletes are already carving niches in athletic culture and using their influence to do more than just sports. The likes of the Cavinder twins and Olivia Dunne have spread their wings and are thriving in this rewarding climate.

Olivia Dunne recently announced a first in the NIL era. She launched the Livvy Fund which she hopes will educate and connect female LSU athletes to opportunities.

The famous athletes are exploring just how far they can probe within an endorsement-rich environment, changing the athletic culture while at it. Without the NIL ruling, such opportunities would not exist.

LSU teammates, Angel Reese and Flau'jae Johnson have carved out a niche in the entertainment industry. Johnson has always been a budding rapper while Reese appeared in Latto and Cardi B's music video for 'Put it on da Floor Again'.

The intersection of entertainment and sports is a common theme and has happened for years with both sets of talents benefitting from such collaborations.

The NIL era has just accelerated such partnerships and opened up new opportunities for student-athletes who didn't get any reward for their efforts before.

The debate on antitrust laws and their application to college sports will likely rumble on for years before it settles down. Meanwhile, student-athletes are finding new ways to benefit from it.