LEXINGTON – Given how much Kentucky basketball fans obsessed about whether former Mr. Basketball Dontaie Allen was playing enough last season, perhaps it should come as no surprise that Allen was the first UK athlete to announce he was cashing in on his name, image and likeness Thursday.
The executive order signed by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear allowing college athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness – commonly known as NIL – went into effect on July 1. The NCAA also adopted a policy Wednesday allowing all athletes, even those in states without NIL laws or executive orders, to profit off NIL without violating the college sports governing body’s amateurism rules.