BYU COUGARS
Nick Emery Gives Suggestion For Potential NIL Era At BYU
Jun 23, 2021, 2:28 PM | Updated: 2:29 pm
Nick Emery #4 of the Brigham Young Cougars drives against Emmett Naar #3 of the Saint Mary's Gaels during a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – Imagine if the name, image, and likeness era had been around when Nick Emery played for BYU.
The former BYU basketball player was at the center of an NCAA investigation in 2017-18 that the NCAA stated he received $12,000 of improper benefits. Those benefits included travel, golf, and insurance being paid for on his vehicle.
It sounds a lot like the type of things that student-athletes now are looking to obtain through name, image, and likeness beginning as soon as July 1st.
BREAKING: #BYU Athletics announces Name, Image, and Likeness program called Built 4 Life.#BYUFootball #BYUMediaDay #GoCougs https://t.co/e4XP5KktTQ
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 17, 2021
There are still many details to sort out regarding name, image, and likeness, but BYU is currently proactive by launching the Built4Life program that incorporates NIL for its student-athletes.
Earlier this week, after the unanimous SCOTUS ruling in the Alston v. NCAA case, BYU AD Tom Holmoe issued a statement saying, “BYU Athletics remains supportive of our student-athletes making as much money as they can in this new landscape. We feel that our Built4Life program that we formally launched last week offers the wholistic support necessary to help our student-athletes (benefit from their name, image and likeness).”
Nick Emery offers a suggestion to BYU for NIL
Emery, who retired from basketball in the summer of 2019, tweeted a response to BYU’s statement.
How do we make this retroactive? 😏 Took a hard hit with this one without any intention of doing so. I guess you can add a “Pre Marriage” class into the Built4Life program so athletes don’t get themselves into a situation like I got myself into. 🤷🏼♂️👊🏼 https://t.co/7M1PvWt3NU
— Nick Emery (@04NickEmery) June 22, 2021
“How do we make this retroactive? Took a hard hit with this one without any intention of doing so. I guess you can add a ‘Pre Marriage’ class into the Built4Life program so athletes don’t get themselves into a situation like I got myself into.”
As far as Emery’s case retroactively, the NCAA denied BYU’s appeal to reinstate 47 victories involving Emery in 2019.
But in regards to contributing to Built4Life, BYU is open to Emery’s assistance.
BYU’s newest associate athletic director Gary Veron, who will oversee BYU’s name, image and likeness (NIL) efforts, responded to Emery. Veron is open to the ideas Emery can share for the Built4Life program at BYU.
@04NickEmery thanks for the love and idea. We will look at incorporating a family/marriage class as part of the #BYUBuilt4Life program. DM me if you are serious about helping our current student-athletes. I think you have a great story that can bless the lives of many. https://t.co/U56cQONZMU
— Gary Veron (@BYUBuilt4Life) June 22, 2021
Nineteen states in the United States currently have Name, Image, and Likeness legislation to take effect beginning on July 1st. The NCAA is currently working with Congress to create national legislation for the remaining states.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
