The world of College Basketball is rapidly reshaping the market for top young talents across the globe, with financial offers now far beyond what any European club can realistically match.
At this point, even the NBA may need to start paying close attention. For players like Flory Bidunga, delaying entry into the Draft is becoming increasingly more advantageous thanks to massive NIL deals.
The 20-year-old center, coming off a season at Kansas where he averaged 13.3 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks, has reportedly set his asking price at $5 million for next season—roughly equivalent to the salary of a No. 10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Considered a late first-round prospect, Bidunga would earn significantly less as an NBA rookie, making the college route far more appealing in the short term.
According to Jeff Goodman, who recently spoke with several insiders, the market is exploding across all positions. Top big men—such as Aday Mara from University of Michigan, also a late firs-round prospect—can command between $4-5 million. Point guards are in the $3-4 million range, while wings are landing deals between $2.5-3 million.
One example is PJ Haggerty, who recently committed to Texas A&M University—his fifth school in five years.
With numbers like these, it’s nearly impossible for European teams to compete, making inevitable a new wave of talent migration to the United States .
Goodman also shared the blunt assessment of a coach from a major conference:
“This has become a joke. We got guys who averaged 3 points a game asking for a million dollars. It’s completely out of control.”
The @TheFieldOf68 has polled 10-plus high-major head coaches, assistants and GM’s for the following prices that elite (Top 25 guys) portal players will likely command: pic.twitter.com/hzs1Ie3XY9
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 8, 2026
One high-major head coach to me:
“This has become a joke. We got guys who averaged 3 points a game asking for a million dollars. It’s completely out of control.”
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 11, 2026
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