FSU’s Head Coach Leonard Hamilton Faces Lawsuit from 6 Former Players Over NIL Pay

Florida State head basketball coach Leonard Hamilton is now facing a lawsuit brought on by six former players over NIL pay.

It begins with a promise—one that should have changed lives. A pledge of opportunity in the new frontier of college athletics, where the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era offered athletes a chance to reap rewards beyond the court. However, for six former Florida State basketball players, that promise was never kept.

On Monday, those players—Darin Green Jr., Josh Nickelberry, Primo Spears, Cam’Ron Fletcher, De’Ante Green, and Jalen Warley—filed a lawsuit in Florida’s Leon County circuit court. Their claim: head coach Leonard Hamilton, a titan of the game with a 37-year legacy, failed to deliver $1.5 million in NIL payments he had allegedly promised.

Hamilton, a revered figure who once led Florida State to an ACC championship and eight NCAA tournaments, now finds his legacy under scrutiny. The lawsuit casts a shadow not only over his storied career but also over the broader landscape of college athletics.

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A New Ugly Side to NIL Deals

Within the legal filings are allegations that cut to the heart of trust between a coach and his players. The players claim Hamilton assured them—both in team meetings and one-on-one conversations—that $250,000 in NIL compensation would be provided to each member of the 2023-24 roster, funded by his “business partners.” For some, it was this assurance that led them to transfer to Florida State, leaving behind other opportunities in pursuit of Hamilton’s vision.

The lawsuit includes text messages that offer a glimpse into mounting frustration. Players, who had been relying on the promised funds for taxes, rent, and car payments, described feeling “tired of the lies.” Darin Green Jr., a leader on the team, wrote to a representative of the school’s NIL collective, pleading, “This money situation is weighing on a lot of guys and affecting guys on the court.”

Following news that six former FSU men’s basketball players are suing Leonard Hamilton over allegedly unpaid NIL deals, here’s my best advice:

1. Memorialize all deals in writing;
2. Players NEED lawyers to review these deals. 1/

— Alicia Jessop (@RulingSports) December 30, 2024

The tensions reached a boiling point in February, ahead of a pivotal game against Duke. During practice, the team staged a silent protest, walking out of the gym to express their discontent. A boycott of the game itself was on the table until Hamilton, in an emotional meeting, assured the players that the money would arrive the following week. They played the game, falling to Duke 76-67, but the payments never came.

The fallout was seismic. Florida State’s season ended in mediocrity, with a 17-16 record and no postseason berth. By season’s end, the players at the heart of this story had all moved on. For some, their eligibility expired; others transferred to programs across the country, citing broken promises as the catalyst for their departure.

A Growing Trend in NIL Deals

The NIL era, heralded as a revolution, has also been fraught with chaos. Across the nation, similar stories echo. From a quarterback at UNLV walking away over unfulfilled deals to a high-profile legal battle involving former Florida quarterback Jaden Rashada, the promises of NIL have often unraveled into broken dreams.

"College sports for decades has relied on lying to kids, and now kids can say 'I'll see you in court' over that." @bykevinclark on Jaden Rashada's lawsuit against Florida head coach Billy Napier and others pic.twitter.com/R0VjQ44blM

— Around the Horn (@AroundtheHorn) May 21, 2024

This lawsuit is more than a legal complaint; it’s a mirror reflecting the unregulated and often murky waters of NIL. Since its inception in July 2021, the system has been defined by a mix of ambition and ambiguity, where boosters and collectives wield influence, and oversight is scarce.

For the six players now seeking justice, the court filings are not just about the money. They are about accountability, about trust, and about a system that too often prioritizes promises over people. As the case unfolds, it raises a question that resonates far beyond the hardwood: in this new era of college sports, who will keep the promises made?