Basset Recruiting Updates?

[1032004]

2 hours ago, happyvalet said:

I do, but from the other side. My pet theory is Iowa sort of manufactured problems with Bassett as well as Gabe Arnold so they could cancel their contracts. 

I wouldn’t be shocked if that was the case, but I’d be surprised.  They likely overpaid for him since he might not be on the level of Forrest & Duke, but he’s still a dang good recruit and their recent classes have been a little thin.  He also would have brought additional eyeballs

[VakAttack]

6 hours ago, happyvalet said:

I do, but from the other side. My pet theory is Iowa sort of manufactured problems with Bassett as well as Gabe Arnold so they could cancel their contracts. 

That seems unlikely, especially with Arnold since by most accounts it seems like he'll be staying.

[happyvalet]

19 minutes ago, VakAttack said:

That seems unlikely, especially with Arnold since by most accounts it seems like he'll be staying.

I'm just talking money. Don't you think his NIL contract was voided when he was dismissed from the team? That's my guess. And now they can negotiate a new one if he wants to stay 

[ionel]

10 minutes ago, happyvalet said:

I'm just talking money. Don't you think his NIL contract was voided when he was dismissed from the team? That's my guess. And now they can negotiate a new one if he wants to stay 

So you are saying it's not really NIL but rather Pay to Play.  

[VakAttack]

2 hours ago, happyvalet said:

I'm just talking money. Don't you think his NIL contract was voided when he was dismissed from the team? That's my guess. And now they can negotiate a new one if he wants to stay 

No, I don't.  It's not like there's official documentation filed saying "you are dismissed. "  The Bassett thing even less likely as that seems like it was a unilateral Bassett decision based on their feelings about Iowa compliance's interpretation of the rule.  Basically that seems like they got jealous of what Forrest was getting. 

[RawDog]

15 hours ago, 1032004 said:

I wouldn’t be shocked if that was the case, but I’d be surprised.  They likely overpaid for him since he might not be on the level of Forrest & Duke, but he’s still a dang good recruit and their recent classes have been a little thin.  He also would have brought additional eyeballs

Bassett was going to also likely bring his brothers which would have kept Iowa relevant. It pains me to say but I believe this is the last year Iowa competes for a trophy in the foreseeable future.

[HokieDave87]

Bo Nickal is the worst, NIL is legal for HS kids in both PA and OK. NCAA compliance is a different gray area but he has no idea what he's talking about and his description made it illegal for Marcus Blaze to train at PSU prior to his very recent graduation

[Caveira]

On 7/12/2025 at 10:49 AM, Mr. PeanutButter said:

I'm not saying Nickal doesn't have an agenda, but the rumors about OKST RTC doing some murky stuff have been circulating for awhile. 

Same as the old rumors about the nlwc and their fuzzy means of paying athletes.   

Edited Sunday at 04:00 PM by Caveira

[1032004]

5 hours ago, HokieDave87 said:

Bo Nickal is the worst, NIL is legal for HS kids in both PA and OK. NCAA compliance is a different gray area but he has no idea what he's talking about and his description made it illegal for Marcus Blaze to train at PSU prior to his very recent graduation

He didn’t say it was illegal for high schoolers to get NIL, he was mostly just claiming that getting an apartment in the area (which in this case was supposedly paid for by a booster) doesn’t satisfy the 250 mile requirement.   

I know it’s been stated elsewhere that those outside of 250 miles can still train there periodically (so Blaze training at NLWC wasn’t automatically illegal), but not sure exactly how much.

[HokieDave87]

7 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

He didn’t say it was illegal for high schoolers to get NIL, he was mostly just claiming that getting an apartment in the area (which in this case was supposedly paid for by a booster) doesn’t satisfy the 250 mile requirement.   

I know it’s been stated elsewhere that those outside of 250 miles can still train there periodically (so Blaze training at NLWC wasn’t automatically illegal), but not sure exactly how much.

It wasn't the main point he they claimed you couldn't get NIL until after high school graduation.

Regarding the 250 mile rule. It's not enforced and I've heard it's going away although not sure on that. My whole point is that NLWC takes advantage of the same types of loopholes that CWC and everybody else does.

[Doublehalf]

Nickal has got to be one of the most annoying guys in recent memory to come out of NCAA wrestling... The entitlement and arrogance he speaks with on his podcasts is nauseating. He's the kind of guy that is either figuratively or literally going to get punched in the mouth in his life and hopefully is force-fed some humble pie. 

[headshuck]

Someone ordered humble pie?

[happyvalet]

15 hours ago, VakAttack said:

No, I don't.  It's not like there's official documentation filed saying "you are dismissed. "  The Bassett thing even less likely as that seems like it was a unilateral Bassett decision based on their feelings about Iowa compliance's interpretation of the rule.  Basically that seems like they got jealous of what Forrest was getting. 

Willie and Basch reported it (among others) and I believe Willie said he talked to Gabe.

My point about Bassett is that it's like when a guy wants to break up with his girlfriend but he's too chicken to do it himself so they gradually become argumentive and emotionally distant until the girl breaks up with him. 

[1032004]

7 hours ago, HokieDave87 said:

It wasn't the main point he they claimed you couldn't get NIL until after high school graduation.

Regarding the 250 mile rule. It's not enforced and I've heard it's going away although not sure on that. My whole point is that NLWC takes advantage of the same types of loopholes that CWC and everybody else does.

My fault, just relistened and he did say they couldn’t be paid NIL. But then admitted he didn’t know when the date was that they could be paid.  But then the other guy next to Cassar claimed he looked it up and said they couldn’t get paid until after they graduate HS.

 

Edited Monday at 03:18 AM by 1032004

[VakAttack]

4 hours ago, happyvalet said:

Willie and Basch reported it (among others) and I believe Willie said he talked to Gabe.

My point about Bassett is that it's like when a guy wants to break up with his girlfriend but he's too chicken to do it himself so they gradually become argumentive and emotionally distant until the girl breaks up with him. 

Yes, but my point is that's now how anything works.  Much more likely that the person actually has to be out of the school or off the team at the start of next season.  Also, if they immediately revoked his NIL, it's extremely unlikely he would even consider staying.  More likely this was a situation where cooler heads prevailed and Gabe came hat in hand, and his situation remains unchanged.

As to Bassett, again, there's no evidence or reports of that, and it makes zero sense to do given the fact everybody knows that NIL is about to change so this was the last deal going to be given out like this by Iowa.

[scourge165]

4 minutes ago, VakAttack said:

Yes, but my point is that's now how anything works.  Much more likely that the person actually has to be out of the school or off the team at the start of next season.  Also, if they immediately revoked his NIL, it's extremely unlikely he would even consider staying.  More likely this was a situation where cooler heads prevailed and Gabe came hat in hand, and his situation remains unchanged.

As to Bassett, again, there's no evidence or reports of that, and it makes zero sense to do given the fact everybody knows that NIL is about to change so this was the last deal going to be given out like this by Iowa.

And you're losing Keegan and Melvin apparently. 

So... yeah, it really doesn't make sense to "break up" with Bassett. Even if Keegan is "only" the Hunter Stieber to Logan, you still have Miller and that's still a lot of talent to just... "break up with." 

I think that will either propel Okie State or keep PSU on top. 

[Gibsonian]

NIL stinks for all crept the paid students.     Corruption jumped several notches with the billions floating around now.   

[Greenwave]

Several things have to happen before he commits.

1. A sign from above.

2. His parents have to agree on NIL and Booster monies offered, with a clause he        will always be the highest paid wrestler.

3. His dad needs to secure a coaching position in the program.

4. It is a package deal with his brothers and parents.

 

[Johnyt9]

The Bassets had no issue asking Iowa to break the rules regarding training and payments for flights etc - I doubt they will have issues asking for under the table "NIL" money to skirt the rules

[nhs67]

14 minutes ago, Greenwave said:

Several things have to happen before he commits.

1. A sign from above.

2. His parents have to agree on NIL and Booster monies offered, with a clause he        will always be the highest paid wrestler.

3. His dad needs to secure a coaching position in the program.

4. It is a package deal with his brothers and parents.

 

None of those things are even close to being true.

Hate on a 17 year old all you want, creating $HlT out of thin air shows more about you than him and the process.

Edited Monday at 03:23 PM by nhs67

[Caveira]

1 hour ago, nhs67 said:

None of those things are even close to being true.

Hate on a 17 year old all you want, creating $HlT out of thin air shows more about you than him and the process.

 

he was born August 15 2006.  Doesn’t that make him 18.926 years old?
 

Not trolling.  How would you know it is or isn’t true?   No one really knows the truth on these boards do they ?    The #1 I swear Bo said.  All the others are his parents related.  Who is crapping on the military aged adult?

[nhs67]

7 minutes ago, Caveira said:

 

he was born August 15 2006.  Doesn’t that make him 18.926 years old?
 

Not trolling.  How would you know it is or isn’t true?   No one really knows the truth on these boards do they ?    The #1 I swear Bo said.  All the others are his parents related.  Who is crapping on the military aged adult?

I never said I know.  How would you, or anyone else posting here know?  If you (they) have actual information, provide it.  If not, they're just making things up to stir the pot. That’s not a discussion - it’s just being petty.

As for the age comment - sure, I was off by a year. He’s almost 19, not almost 18. Doesn’t change anything.

What’s clear is that some folks are taking Bassett’s decisions way too personally.  He’s not obligated to meet our expectations.  He’s arguably the most followed high school wrestler ever, with a massive NIL upside, and he’s handling things in a way that suits his goals, not yours.  And why would he follow any other path than his own, which is going to make him a millionaire within five years?

He’s already making a huge impact on the sport, and that’s only going to grow over the next 6–7 years.  Tearing him down because you don’t like his path doesn’t say anything about him - but it says plenty about all the haters, and their toxic energy.

[nhs67]

50 minutes ago, nhs67 said:

I never said I know.  How would you, or anyone else posting here know?  If you (they) have actual information, provide it.  If not, they're just making things up to stir the pot. That’s not a discussion - it’s just being petty.

As for the age comment - sure, I was off by a year. He’s almost 19, not almost 18. Doesn’t change anything.

What’s clear is that some folks are taking Bassett’s decisions way too personally.  He’s not obligated to meet our expectations.  He’s arguably the most followed high school wrestler ever, with a massive NIL upside, and he’s handling things in a way that suits his goals, not yours.  And why would he follow any other path than his own, which is going to make him a millionaire within five years?

He’s already making a huge impact on the sport, and that’s only going to grow over the next 6–7 years.  Tearing him down because you don’t like his path doesn’t say anything about him - but it says plenty about all the haters, and their toxic energy.

@Caveira don't take this as directed at you intentionally.  I know you were just chiming in.  This is mainly a broad sort of response.

[Caveira]

1 minute ago, nhs67 said:

@Caveira don't take this as directed at you intentionally.  I know you were just chiming in.  This is mainly a broad sort of response.

No worries 

[GimJustafan]

2 hours ago, nhs67 said:

 

What’s clear is that some folks are taking Bassett’s decisions way too personally.  He’s not obligated to meet our expectations.  He’s arguably the most followed high school wrestler ever, with a massive NIL upside, and he’s handling things in a way that suits his goals, not yours.  And why would he follow any other path than his own, which is going to make him a millionaire within five years?

 

unfortunately, this is the world we now live in / when a person puts their entire life on social media for all to see 

people take a personal interest in it for better or worse 

I have absolutely no skin in the game and hope he finds what he is looking for since for reasons we can all only speculate on Iowa was not the right fit , maybe no school will check all the boxes and honestly that's life and given the finical ramifications its a life I'm not sure many of these young men and woman are Truley ready for