Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
By Chris Marler
Prior to the season, a lot was made about this year’s Kentucky roster and just how much it was going to cost. The number settled right around $22 million for the Wildcats. We knew that was going to be the highest. What we did not know was the range that everyone else was spending nor what was necessary to keep up with the Jones’ around the SEC.
Dick Vitale: “I’ve done several now Kentucky games… $22 million this team [reportedly has spent] in terms of the NIL for their players. I think in $22 million, they could have put together a better roster than they did. I really do.” 🏀🎙️🔥
(h/t: @DanielHagerOn3) pic.twitter.com/xZ7iOBysz8
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 8, 2026
Just two to three years ago, the SEC’s highest spenders were rumored to be around $5 million. Thanks to revenue sharing and the depth of the league being better than any other conference in the country, that number went up. That number went up a lot.
This report from OU Insider shows the spending from every team around the SEC.
– Kentucky: $20 million
– Vandy: $10 million +
– Florida: $10 million +
– Texas A&M: $10 million +
– Arkansas: $10 million +
– Missouri: $10 million +
– Tennessee: $10 million +
– Auburn: $10 million +
– Texas: $10 million +
– Georgia: $8-10 million
– LSU: $8-10 million
– Mississippi State: $8-10 million
– Alabama: $8-10 million
– Ole Miss: $8-10 million
– Oklahoma: $6.5 million
– South Carolina: $5.5 million
What stands out the most isn’t how much Kentucky spent; it’s that nine teams spent at least $10 million. Of those nine, there were more teams that will start play on Wednesday than Friday. That means more teams finished in the bottom half of the league with a roster over $10 million than finished in the top four of the conference standings.
🚨 THE BRACKET.
🔗 https://t.co/DN2gdVm3Sz#SECMBB x #SECTourney pic.twitter.com/3Apdvomhsd
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) March 8, 2026
It also means that we will see one of the most perfect examples of what modern college basketball has become in the very first game of the SEC Tournament in Nashville. The first game will be played between No. 9 Kentucky and No. 16 LSU, which will feature two teams who finished a combined 13-23 in conference play but had roughly $30 million in combined NIL spending on their rosters.
In LSU’s case that means the $8-10 million they spent for three wins in conference play calculates to about $3 million per win this season.
Is that what we want college basketball to be? It doesn’t seem to matter because that’s what it already has become.
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