Kentucky House passes NIL bill

A permanent name, image, and likeness bill is close to being complete in the state of Kentucky.

After John Calipari and Mitch Barnhart traveled to Frankfort to speak on behalf of the NIL bill in February, it passed through the Kentucky House Monday, making it a Governor Andy Beshear signature away from being official.

Senate Bill 6, which is the bill that protects the ability for student athletes to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness, passed through the KY house 89-2 earlier Monday.

With the current executive order expected to expire, getting this bill done will not only help the student athletes all across Kentucky, but will be a “model bill,” as other states seek to do the same.

“I think it’s a model bill,” Calipari said. “I think other states are going to look at this bill and say, ‘Wow.’ … Kentucky basketball is the gold standard. It is. People are looking to us, what are we doing.”

Alongside this bill, according to Calipari on his coaches show Monday night, a resolution was also passed that would allow foreign athletes to make money as well.

This is obviously huge news when it comes to the draft decision Oscar Tshiebwe will have at the conclusion of this postseason. Currently, that decision seems to be one that will purely rely on this resolution.

With his NBA Draft stock starting to drift to early second-round range, it seems the question will come down to two things: Can he grow his draft stock with another year in Lexington, and can he make more money than he could with an NBA contract?

Those are only questions that Oscar and those close to him can answer, but I don't think the BBN would turn down a second year from the All-American big man.

The landscape of the Kentucky program could be changed for the better here soon, this bill is one huge step in the right direction to that happening.