Boo Buie and Chase Audige just led Northwestern to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and one of the greatest seasons in its history. Now, the Wildcats are getting ready to reward them financially.
Sources tell WildcatReport that the program, and power brokers around the program, are working to put together an NIL package that will keep the dynamic backcourt duo in purple so that they can run it back again next season.
The program is confident that they will be able to match or exceed anything another program could offer the pair of senior guards, according to sources. Furthermore, they believe that the two will have the opportunity to make substantially more money than they might receive playing professionally overseas, or with the G League.
The bottom line is that the program is prepared to do everything in its power to make sure that Buie and Audige are Wildcats next season.
Buie, the Wildcats’ point guard and floor leader, led the team in scoring and assists this season while earning first-team All-Big Ten honors. Audige, the team’s second-leading scorer, was named the conference co-Defensive Player of the Year and is also a finalist for the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year award.
Together they formed one of the best backcourts in the Big Ten, if not the nation, and led the Wildcats to a second-place finish in the Big Ten for the first time in more than 60 years, and the NCAA Tourney for just the second time in history. They also beat the No. 1 team in the nation (Purdue) and won 12 league games for the first time ever.
Both have one more year of eligibility remaining because they played during the COVID-impacted season of 2020-21.
Northwestern is determined to make coming back to Evanston for a final season the most attractive option for both of them. It would be the fifth college season for Buie (all at Northwestern) and the sixth for Audige (one at William & Mary before transferring).
The total compensation package will likely be a mix of financial opportunities from TrueNU, Northwestern’s NIL collective, as well as private donors and/or private companies, sources say.
The term “financial opportunities” is used here because players won’t just receive straight compensation; pay-for-play is against NCAA rules. Instead, they will be paid for activities they perform for organizations, such as appearances, endorsements, autograph signings, etc. These organizations could be charitable entities or private corporations.
The question everyone is wondering is, how much money will the two command? While sources wouldn’t provide any specific dollar amounts, WildcatReport is confident in reporting that each would receive hundreds of thousands of dollars – far more than they could expect to make in the G League, or even as rookie players overseas in just about any European league.
Remember, Northwestern has done something similar to this before. Multiple sources have told WildcatReport that the program put together an attractive package for Pete Nance last year that essentially matched what North Carolina offered. But Nance was intent on playing for a blue-blood program and transferred. (The irony, of course, is that Northwestern wound up in the tourney, while the Tar Heels fell short.)
Sources say that Buie and Audige are intent on exploring their NBA options, so we may not get any news regarding their status for several weeks. That gap gives Northwestern and its donors time to put together its best total package.
Northwestern realizes the opportunity it has to establish its basketball program as a winner right now. The only other time the program made the NCAA Tournament, in 2016-17, the Wildcats failed miserably and experienced five straight losing seasons.
If Buie and Audige return, the Wildcats could make a run at a Big Ten title and advance further in the Big Dance. Athletic director Dr. Derrick Gragg has expressed his desire to extend head coach Chris Collins’ contract. The Wildcats also want to be sure that their two best players remain in Evanston to ensure Collins' continued success.
Sources tell WildcatReport that the program, and power brokers around the program, are working to put together an NIL package that will keep the dynamic backcourt duo in purple so that they can run it back again next season.
The program is confident that they will be able to match or exceed anything another program could offer the pair of senior guards, according to sources. Furthermore, they believe that the two will have the opportunity to make substantially more money than they might receive playing professionally overseas, or with the G League.
The bottom line is that the program is prepared to do everything in its power to make sure that Buie and Audige are Wildcats next season.
Buie, the Wildcats’ point guard and floor leader, led the team in scoring and assists this season while earning first-team All-Big Ten honors. Audige, the team’s second-leading scorer, was named the conference co-Defensive Player of the Year and is also a finalist for the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year award.
Together they formed one of the best backcourts in the Big Ten, if not the nation, and led the Wildcats to a second-place finish in the Big Ten for the first time in more than 60 years, and the NCAA Tourney for just the second time in history. They also beat the No. 1 team in the nation (Purdue) and won 12 league games for the first time ever.
Both have one more year of eligibility remaining because they played during the COVID-impacted season of 2020-21.
Northwestern is determined to make coming back to Evanston for a final season the most attractive option for both of them. It would be the fifth college season for Buie (all at Northwestern) and the sixth for Audige (one at William & Mary before transferring).
The total compensation package will likely be a mix of financial opportunities from TrueNU, Northwestern’s NIL collective, as well as private donors and/or private companies, sources say.
The term “financial opportunities” is used here because players won’t just receive straight compensation; pay-for-play is against NCAA rules. Instead, they will be paid for activities they perform for organizations, such as appearances, endorsements, autograph signings, etc. These organizations could be charitable entities or private corporations.
The question everyone is wondering is, how much money will the two command? While sources wouldn’t provide any specific dollar amounts, WildcatReport is confident in reporting that each would receive hundreds of thousands of dollars – far more than they could expect to make in the G League, or even as rookie players overseas in just about any European league.
Remember, Northwestern has done something similar to this before. Multiple sources have told WildcatReport that the program put together an attractive package for Pete Nance last year that essentially matched what North Carolina offered. But Nance was intent on playing for a blue-blood program and transferred. (The irony, of course, is that Northwestern wound up in the tourney, while the Tar Heels fell short.)
Sources say that Buie and Audige are intent on exploring their NBA options, so we may not get any news regarding their status for several weeks. That gap gives Northwestern and its donors time to put together its best total package.
Northwestern realizes the opportunity it has to establish its basketball program as a winner right now. The only other time the program made the NCAA Tournament, in 2016-17, the Wildcats failed miserably and experienced five straight losing seasons.
If Buie and Audige return, the Wildcats could make a run at a Big Ten title and advance further in the Big Dance. Athletic director Dr. Derrick Gragg has expressed his desire to extend head coach Chris Collins’ contract. The Wildcats also want to be sure that their two best players remain in Evanston to ensure Collins' continued success.
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