College basketball analyst Jay Bilas has zero concerns about NIL affecting March Madness: 'Never been better'

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When all four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four last year, bracket-makers and college basketball aficionados alike declared March Madness dead thanks to NIL. 

But one expert analysis, Jay Bilas, is not buying that notion.

"I'm not sure there's enough data, because we live in a world where one data point automatically makes a trend," the former Duke star turned ESPN analyst said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

"And I'll give you an example. A few years ago, we had San Diego State and Florida Atlantic make the Final Four, and San Diego State made the championship game. And the narrative was, ‘The world is flat, NIL has made everyone equal. Anybody can win. There's complete parity across college sports now.’ And a couple years later, we get all four No. 1 seeds making it, and the narrative was, ‘Cinderella is dead. Only the big shots can win. The sport is ruined...'

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ESPN College GameDay host Jay Bilas prepares to broadcast ahead of the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils on Feb. 1, 2025, in Durham, North Carolina. (Lance King/Getty Images)

"Each of these tournaments is different. And again, one data point doesn't make a trend. This is a rearview mirror sport. People complain about it afterwards. They like it when it's going on, but they complain about it afterwards."

Bilas also pointed out that all four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four in 2008, nearly 13 years before NIL even existed.

The "March Madness" logo during the First Four Practice at UD Arena. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)

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