"At least $3.5 M for my boii" - Erica Wheeler weighs in on Pacers $20,451,750 center's NIL value if he played in college today

WNBA guard Erica Wheeler commented on how much Myles Turner could have made through NIL deals, after the Pacers' center speculated on what it would be like for him to play in college today. In a clip from an episode of "Easy Buckets" released Monday, Wheeler and her co-host, pro hooper Jaterra Bonds, sat down with Turner to discuss a myriad of topics.

The conversation ranged from Turner's expansive LEGO collection all the way to what his championship goals are. One subject they touched on was what Turner's financial prospects could've looked like if NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals existed when they were college athletes.

Bonds jokingly laments the struggle she and Wheeler went through as unpaid student-athletes. They imagine what things would look like if they had been able to sign lucrative deals like today's players are getting. Turner, reflecting on the caliber of player he was in college, thinks he'd have been a top NIL earner.

"We number one in endowment in the world. So if you think about everything that goes into that, all the money, all the boosters, all the people that put money into the Texas program", said Turner.

He continued, "And again, I was the number two recruit in the nation... I feel like in my position, I could've very easily got to, and this is taking it light, a milly, milly plus"

Turner felt that he would be a prime benefactor of lucrative NIL deals due to his status as one of the best prospects in his class at the time, along with the University of Texas' endowment, which at $44,900,000,000 in the 2023 financial year, was the largest of any public university.

These factors could have led Turner, who is earning $20,451,750 this season as part of a 2-year, $40,903,5000 contract with the Pacers, to make upwards of a million dollars as a student-athlete.

Wheeler reiterated her agreement from the episode by leaving a comment on the Instagram clip.

"At leasttttttt 3.5M for my boiiii", she said.

Erica Wheeler's Instagram comment - Source: @easybuckets.show

Erica Wheeler signs with Seattle Storm

The WNBA has had a busy offseason with tons of player movement over the past several months. One of the most recent moves saw the Seattle Storm sign free agent Erica Wheeler. The Storm announced on Wednesday, Feb. 12., that they had acquired the 10-year veteran and one-time All-Star.

Erica Wheeler became a free agent after spending the past two seasons with the Indiana Fever. She previously played with the Fever from 2016-2019 before returning in 2023. Her role was significantly reduced last season due to the arrival of rising phenom, Caitlin Clark.

Wheeler is known for her playmaking abilities which will pair well with the host of talent that Seattle, four-time WNBA champions, have on their roster such as All-Stars, Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith.

This offseason, Erica Wheeler has been playing for Nesibe Aydin GSK of the Women's Basketball Super League in Turkey, notching three double-doubles in 14 games.