Six former Florida State basketball players have filed a lawsuit against Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton, alleging that he did not fulfill a promise to secure $250,000 in name, image, and likeness compensation for each of them. The players involved in the lawsuit are Darin Green Jr., De’Ante Green, Cam’Ron Fletcher, Josh Nickelberry, Primo Spears, and Jalen Warley. The legal action was initiated in Leon County circuit court, with the plaintiffs claiming that Hamilton assured them of receiving the money from his 'business partners'.
The lawsuit states that the players walked out of a practice during the previous season due to the non-payment and had planned to boycott a game against Duke on February 17. Despite assurances from Hamilton that they would be compensated, the players did not receive the promised funds. Text message exchanges between the players and Hamilton are included in the complaint.
Hamilton, who is currently in the final year of his contract, has not yet been represented by an attorney in the lawsuit. The Florida State University basketball team, with a record of 9-4 this season, is set to host Syracuse on Saturday. None of the players involved in the legal action are currently part of the team, with some having graduated and others having transferred to different schools.
This lawsuit is part of a growing trend of legal disputes related to name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation in college sports. Similar cases have emerged in other programs, including a situation involving a former UNLV football quarterback and disputes with coaches at Florida and Tulsa over unpaid NIL deals.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the college basketball community will be closely watching the outcome of this case and its potential implications for NIL compensation agreements in collegiate athletics.
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