Editorial

Florida Atlantic Head Coach Dusty May Is Alleging His Players Are Being Tampered With

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Head coach Dusty May of the Florida Atlantic Owls is interviewed on court after defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 79-76 in the Elite Eight round game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 25, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Andrew Powell Sports and Entertainment Blogger
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Welcome to the big leagues, Coach.

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) men’s basketball head coach Dusty May has led his team to an absolutely incredible season, getting into the Final Four where they will face off against the San Diego State Aztecs on Saturday. Well, this has apparently led to some people trying to poach some of his players, even before we get into the grand finale of the dance.

In today’s world of NIL (name, image and likeness)-led college basketball, success can also come as a small school head coach’s worst enemy — this because of bigger schools having more boosters and wider pocketbooks to steal players away. And May is facing off against exactly that. In fact, it’s been going on for the entire NCAA March Madness tournament.

“You’re always concerned because they’re getting recruited now,” May said prior to the Elite Eight, according to The Palm Beach Post. “They’ve been recruited through this (NCAA) tournament. It’s part of it. Our job as coaches is to do the best job we can every single minute of every single day to provide the environment that they think this is the best thing for them long-term. Not today, not in a week, not in a month but long-term.”

Being a huge fan of South Florida sports, it’s disappointing to see this, but you knew it was going to happen here in the NIL era. It just comes with the territory.

And then with my Miami Hurricanes benefiting from NIL on an incredible scale (as you see, we just got into the Final Four), I’m not willing to get rid of it despite my disappointment for FAU. Sorry, man. It’s all about them Canes at the end of the day. (RELATED: Chicago Bulls’ Andre Drummond Gets Rid Of Social Media And Changes His Phone Number To Improve Mental Health)

But I’m hoping something cool happens and FAU just pulls a load of cash out. I know they will be for Dusty May, but I don’t know about their players. Only time will tell.

In the meantime … go Canes! And go Owls!