3/18/2021 basketball Edit

Geo Baker leading the way in fight for NIL rights for college athletes

Chris Nalwasky • TheKnightReport

Beat Writer

Over the years, Rutgers senior guard Geo Baker has increasingly fought against the NCAA and its various rules regarding name, image, and likeness, and not being able to make money or accept any kind of benefits.

Rutgers and teams across the country have essentially been in lockdown since the summer prior to the season. Many of the players haven’t seen family and friends since then. They’ve had COVID-19 testing every single day for months.

The Scarlet Knights, at the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years, and all teams are unable to go outside and leave the hotel they are at until two negative COVID-19 testing on separate days before practice. To get to the gyms, they use skywalks.

Ron Harper Jr., said on Wednesday he’s looking forward to stepping outside and on to the bus on Friday night. In Indianapolis, the players also only get small boxed meals and lots and lots of deodorant from the NCAA.

It hasn’t been exactly easy for student-athletes across the country this year. A national college basketball reporter posted the question on Twitter, “Are people really complaining about things in the bubble? Would you prefer to go back to the situation we endured last year? We're having an NCAA Tournament and that's all that matters. Be grateful for what you DO have in life. Not what you don't.”

Baker said back, “Think you can definitely be grateful to play this game while also understanding there’s more that should be on the table. Players ISOLATED entire year to help make this tournament happen. NCAA: rewarded w/ $900 million. Players: rewarded w/ free deodorant and small boxed meals.”

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Baker received a reply from someone saying they would send them food, but Baker responded in humorous way saying, “Nah man that’s what the NCAA would call a violation you giving me free food because of my name is against NCAA rules. My name, image, and likeness belongs to them. But any Rutgers kids on full academic scholarship with names not owned by NCAA can surely get some though!”

If you remember, back in January, Baker emotionally replied on Instagram from a podcast that Baylor, who has a 1-seed in the tournament, coach Scott Drew was talking about the sacrifices his team and others have made this season. Baker quipped about not being able to make money off their name, and their as in all college athletes. He then went on to say it is like “modern day slavery”, though the post has been deleted.

“I want to start off by saying that was the first time I ever answered someone else on social media emotionally, kind of what I was thinking about what I was saying,” Baker said in his first media availability after the postings. “If I could go back, I think I would definitely word it differently. I am extremely grateful for Rutgers. I am extremely grateful for coach Pikiell, for the Rutgers community, for everybody here. It’s a great opportunity that we have here but that doesn’t mean the system is perfect and that is kind of what I was trying to get to the point of.

“I think the core of what I said is true. My name and image likeness is owned by someone else and that is just how I view it. So I am disappointed in the words I used but I think there is a bigger discussion that needs to be made. The headline was three words that were at the very end. They are very truthful facts, that we are owned by someone else.”

Wednesday, Baker took to social media again, one day before the NCAA Tournament is set to tip-off with the First Four games.

“The NCAA OWNS my name, image, and likeness. Someone on music scholarship can profit from an album. Someone on academic scholarship can have a tutor service. For ppl who say “an athletic scholarship is enough.” Anything less than equal rights is never enough. I am #NotNCAAProperty.”

He went viral and many players from a bevvy of teams, including his own, joined him and his stance.

"HEAR US!! We deserve the rights to OUR names. #NotNCAAProperty," Harper Jr. said at 1:55 p.m. on Twitter on Wednesday.

Baker replied and 'quote tweeted" several replies and posts.

Less than two hours earlier, Harper Jr., speaking with TKR and other reporters was asked if this group and generation of players will be the turning point of change regarding NIL. In January, the NCAA delayed a vote to proposed rule changes.

"I sure hope so. This group of players that play college basketball right now are very active in the fight for our name, image, and likeness to be passed,” Harper Jr. said. “This is a group of college kids that has sacrificed more than anybody ever has when it comes to playing college basketball. We've been isolated from friends, family, girlfriends, etc. for the whole year. Hopefully, we're at a turning point where the NCAA can look at us and pass the name, image, and likeness laws that we should rightfully receive."

Wednesday night, the National College Players Association (NCPA) became involved in the cause as the group put out a statement and call to action on its website:

"College basketball players from over 15 teams competing in this year’s March Madness have launched a historic protest against unjust NCAA rules that deny college athletes equal freedoms and basic protections. They are calling for the following:

1. NCAA rule changes to allow all athletes the freedom to secure representation and receive pay for use of name, image and likeness by July 1st.

2. A meeting with NCAA president Mark Emmert.

3. Meetings with state and federal lawmakers and President Biden’s administration to pass laws to give college athletes physical, academic and financial protections.

4. A supreme court ruling in support of plaintiffs/college athletes in Alston v. NCAA and to not give the NCAA any power to deny us equal freedoms.

"As part of the protest, the NCPA will arrange panel discussions with college athletes and experts to discuss unjust NCAA rules and ways to ensure college athletes are treated fairly.

"The players and the NCPA are using the hashtag #NotNCAAProperty to underscore their concern that the NCAA too often treats college athletes like dollar signs rather than people. College basketball players from multiple teams protesting NCAA rules during NCAA’s own March Madness Tournament is unprecedented and comes at a time when lawmakers and the U.S. Supreme Court will be making decisions that will affect the freedoms and rights of generations of future athletes.

"Iowa basketball player Jordan Bohannon, Rutgers basketball player Geo Baker and Michigan basketball player Isaiah Livers held a Zoom meeting last summer with players throughout the Big ten Conference and NCPA executive director Ramogi Huma to discuss college athletes’ rights and challenges facing them to due to the COVID pandemic last summer. The players all kept in touch. Bohannon, Baker, Livers and a number of other basketball leaders who have since joined the NCPA held a meeting on Tuesday evening with players from a dozen other tournament teams and Huma to discuss launching the protest

"Huma stated, 'These players are taking a historic stand to protect the rights and freedoms of generations of players to come. They are people #NotNCAAProperty.'"

Sure, nobody forced anybody to play college sports, including Baker, but that doesn’t mean horrible rules shouldn’t change.