Tue Apr 08 00:00:00 UTC 2025: **Villanova’s 2016 National Championship Hero Sues NCAA Over NIL Rights**
NEW YORK, NY – Kris Jenkins, the Villanova player who hit the game-winning three-pointer in the 2016 NCAA men’s basketball championship game, is suing the NCAA and six major conferences for allegedly violating antitrust laws by restricting athlete compensation. The lawsuit, filed last week in the Southern District of New York, claims the NCAA unjustly enriched itself while preventing athletes like Jenkins from profiting from their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
Jenkins’s iconic buzzer-beater secured Villanova’s victory over North Carolina and has since become a staple of NCAA highlight reels, generating millions of views online and boosting the NCAA’s revenue. The lawsuit argues that this, along with a significant alumni donation linked to the victory, directly benefited the NCAA and Villanova while Jenkins received no compensation for the use of his NIL.
The lawsuit seeks compensation for lost earnings Jenkins believes he would have received had NIL deals been permitted, including revenue from game broadcasts, video game appearances, and marketing opportunities. Jenkins opted out of a separate, broader settlement with the NCAA, choosing to pursue his own case, arguing the unique circumstances of his game-winning shot warrant individual consideration.
Jenkins emphasized his support for current athletes now able to benefit from NIL deals but stated his lawsuit aims to address past injustices and the significant financial gains the NCAA reaped from his performance. He argues that his college athletic career was essentially a full-time job, demanding significant time and effort without commensurate financial reward. He also stated that the inability to capitalize on his NIL negatively impacted his family’s financial well-being. The lawsuit is one of several filed by former athletes seeking redress for past restrictions on NIL rights.
First Piper 