He failed to pay them.
Six former Florida State basketball players have filed a lawsuit against the team’s head coach, Leonard Hamilton, claiming he failed to deliver on a promise to secure each of them $250,000 in name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation. The lawsuit, filed in Leon County Circuit Court, includes players Darin Green Jr., De’Ante Green, Cam’Ron Fletcher, Josh Nickelberry, Primo Spears, and Jalen Warley. Their attorney, Darren Heitner, provided the complaint, which accuses Hamilton of making a commitment to provide the money through his business connections, but the payments never materialized.
According to the plaintiffs, the missed payments led them to walk out of a practice during the previous season and threaten to boycott a February 17 game against Duke. However, they ultimately played in the game, which ended in a loss to Duke, after Hamilton assured them they would receive the promised money, though the payments never came. The lawsuit contains text messages exchanged between the players and some with Hamilton, further supporting their claims. Hamilton’s legal representation was not listed in the court documents.
The case comes amid a broader trend of legal disputes regarding NIL deals in college sports. Florida State’s performance during the 2022-2023 season was a mixed bag, with the team finishing with a 17-16 record and 10-10 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Hamilton, who is in the final year of his contract, is facing these allegations while overseeing a 9-4 team this season. None of the plaintiffs remain with the program—Green and Nickelberry graduated, while Fletcher, Spears, De’Ante Green, and Warley transferred to other schools, such as Xavier, UTSA, USF, and Gonzaga.
This lawsuit is not an isolated incident. In recent months, there have been several high-profile NIL disputes. Matthew Sluka, a former UNLV quarterback, left the team after not receiving a $100,000 NIL deal. Jaden Rashada, a former Florida quarterback, sued his coach over an unpaid $13 million NIL agreement. Additionally, some players from Tulsa have filed complaints about unmet NIL promises made by their former coach, Kevin Wilson.
The legal action highlights the growing complexity and potential issues surrounding NIL agreements in college sports, where players are increasingly navigating promises of financial compensation that may not always come to fruition. These cases have raised concerns about the enforceability of NIL deals and the responsibilities of coaches and institutions in fulfilling their commitments to student-athletes.
