Miller Kopp Discusses NIL, Transfer Portal With Collin Hartman, Hoosiers Connect Athletes

Former Indiana basketball player Miller Kopp led a wide-ranging discussion on Friday, titled "Outside The Locker Room" and streamed live on Kopp's YouTube channel and HoosiersConnect.com.

Kopp, alongside former Indiana basketball player Collin Hartman and current Hoosiers Mackenzie Holmes, Philip Blidi, Jaylin Lucas, Xavier Johnson and Trey Galloway, talked about the impact of NIL in college athletics, the transfer portal and more.

The stream started with Hartman, who played under coach Tom Crean from 2013-18 and is now the Vice President of Partnerships for Hoosiers Connect, describing the company's framework. 

"Hoosiers Connect is an official NIL collective of Indiana University Athletics," Hartman said. "Through Hoosiers Connect, individuals can support NIL at IU by making one-time or recurring contributions or joining our membership program. We also offer corporate sponsorship packages for businesses and organizations. I want to emphasize that 100 percent of all contributions made to our organization directly benefit IU student athletes. I am fortunate enough to work for Hoosiers Connect in a full-time capacity, but all of our operating expenses are funded by a sponsor entity. This structure allows us to create quality partnerships with businesses and individuals across the state, ultimately maximizing opportunities for our student athletes."

Hartman noted that each individual who contributes to Hoosiers Connect on Friday will receive a signed picture of Trayce Jackson-Davis and be entered to win one of three items: a signed headband by Miller Kopp, or a signed jersey by Trayce Jackson-Davis or Jalen Hood-Schifino.

"One of the misconceptions is that you can't really make an impact as a fan on NIL unless you're one of those billionaires just funding the team," Hartman said. "One of our philosophies is Indiana University has the second largest living alumni base in the country, second only to Penn State ... There's strength in numbers, so the more IU fans that can get involved, the better, whether it's $10 or $10 million."

Kopp transferred from Northwestern to Indiana before the 2021-22 season, roughly a month before the NCAA approved NIL legislation. While NIL didn't have a large impact on transfers like Kopp that offseason, he's noticed immense changes during his two years at Indiana.

"NIL has amplified the portal to another stratosphere," Kopp said. "It's taken it to a different level, and it's opened up a lot of doors that I think were previously, let's just say, they were closed to some people, if that makes sense. Some people had little cracks in the door, but now everything is open, which I think is the best way. Now, there's a lot more ability for players and guys entering the portal to have some freedom of their career and their life. People want to compare it to NBA contracts and free agency, I don't see it as negatively impacting really anything because I've seen it first hand, but I've also seen it first hand in the portal." 

Kopp shared insight into the transfer portal and NIL from a player's perspective and certain conversations that go on behind the scenes.

"I've talked to guys at blue bloods, I have friends in the Pac-12, guys I went to AAU camps with, in dorms with," Kopp said. "And you have their numbers, you have their social medias and talk to them. Like, a guy was in the national championship and talking to them. People don't realize that just because a team looks like they might have some [NIL] stuff in place, they don't."

"I have players who are looking at Indiana DM'ing me to talk and call me on the phone. I'm not gonna name any names, but I've talked to many players on the phone about Indiana. And I'm like, 'Look, number one, I'm not gonna lie to you. Number two, there's not much to say that's bad at all [at Indiana].' The last thing I want is for a guy to go to a school because of me, and then get there and figure out something that I didn't tell them."

Following two seasons at Indiana, and through conversations with other players, Kopp feels strongly that Indiana is a leader in the NIL space. 

"I can say this with complete confidence. Indiana is doing it the right way," Kopp said. "Indiana is making sure, number one, do it the right way and be open about it and be a leader in how it's being done and a leader in just the sheer capacity and power of it. I've talked to other guys at other schools, and I can say with complete honesty to other guys who call me and ask me about the team or the roster or the style of play, and then they ask me about NIL, that's one thing where I can say for sure, I'm like, 'Look, dude, you don't have to worry. This is a top two, not two, program for NIL.'"

"I can say this with complete confidence. Indiana is doing it the right way," Kopp said. "Indiana is making sure, number one, do it the right way and be open about it and be a leader in how it's being done and a leader in just the sheer capacity and power of it. I've talked to other guys at other schools, and I can say with complete honesty to other guys who call me and ask me about the team or the roster or the style of play, and then they ask me about NIL, that's one thing where I can say for sure, I'm like, 'Look, dude, you don't have to worry. This is a top two, not two, program for NIL.'"

Much of the transfer portal conversation revolves around the players' decisions, but Kopp pointed out that schools also have an elevated level of freedom with these changes to college athletics.

"People don't realize that now there's a lot more freedom for the player, but there's a lot more freedom for the schools, as well, if they are positioned correctly in terms of they can capitalize on it," Kopp said. "Players can hopefully, if they're put in the right spot, capitalize on NIL and use it to their advantage and benefit, but schools are, you have to have the things in place, and that's why Indiana has one of, if not the best systems in place."

Indiana has made two additions since the transfer portal opened, forwards Kel'el Ware from Oregon and Payton Sparks from Ball State. Coach Mike Woodson still has three available scholarships, so Indiana will continue to be busy recruiting players looking for new schools. 

While Kopp was optimistic about Indiana's position in NIL compared to other schools, he also recognized that personal relationships are required in recruiting, which resonated with him at Indiana.

"That's what I think Woody is so good at," Kopp said. "He's a no BS guy. He's a no BS guy. So he's somebody you can get on the phone with – and I've talked to a guy who recently just got off the phone with Woody like the day before, and he called me and I was like, 'Look, man. Woody's a guy, he's not going to beat around the bush, he's not going to lie to you, and whether you like that or not, I think it's a positive. It is a positive because you know what you're getting from him. So in this space, there are people who aren't like that and will. I'm not going to lie to you, but you're not going to get the full, he's going to let you know, he's going to be like, 'Look, this is what you've got on the table. This is what we offer in terms of basketball, in terms of your NIL opportunities, in terms of the court, off the court, everything, and you're going to be able to lay out all the pros and cons and make a decision. That's what I think Woody is really, why Indiana is positioned well to succeed in this space because it has to start from the coach.

Kopp welcomed a handful of Indiana student-athletes to discuss their experiences with Hoosiers Connect and how NIL has impacted their lives.

Holmes, a first-team All-American for the Big Ten champion Indiana women's basketball team, has enjoyed the opportunities to connect with fans through various NIL opportunities.

"I think through different Hoosiers For Good and Hoosiers Connect, we had the Fan Fest and it gave us an opportunity to connect with fans we might have not connected with before," Holmes said. "I've done Cameo, too, which is kind of funny. I feel silly doing Cameos, but it's for these little seven or eight-year-old girls for their birthday, knowing that I'm making their day and making their birthday by creating those little 30-second videos."

After earning first-team All-American honors as a kick returner, Lucas will be a sophomore for coach Tom Allen's football team when the 2023 season kicks off next fall. Lucas said his main focus is on the football field, but he's grateful for these opportunities.

"NIL I'd say has given me a new fanbase," Lucas said. "I'm meeting new people, also I'm collaborating with different businesses and it's giving me major opportunities. Also, it's helping me financially with food and other stuff that I need like clothes and stuff like that. It's a great opportunity I feel like. ... Here at Indiana, NIL is real and I feel like it's benefitting everybody."

NIL has also paved the way for college athletes to not only help themselves, but their families, too. Indiana point guard Xavier Johnson, who's waiting for the NCAA to rule on his medical hardship waiver, said he's been able to help his grandparents with NIL money. 

Philip Blidi, a defensive line transfer from Texas Tech, said NIL has helped him as a father of two young children. Kopp noticed that impact when he was roommates with Tamar Bates during the 2021-22 basketball season.

"His first year in college away from home and stuff, he found out he was going to have a baby," Kopp said. "Me and him kind of every once in a while talked about it, we roomed together on away trips and we'd talk and we got close. That's my brother. Just seeing him be a great father and have the ability to have some security financially with that, with his situation and his family and with his baby girl, shoutout Leilani. Seeing him be able to be a great Dad, not even just with NIL opportunities financially, and I don't want to speak for him, but I think it's given him the ability to be present and continue to grow in that aspect of his life, so that's been really cool to see."