Greg Sankey, the SEC commissioner, is officially the most powerful person in college basketball, at least according to 25% of Division I coaches surveyed. This isn’t just some casual observation, it’s coming straight from nearly 100 men’s Division I coaches who are right in the thick of unprecedented transfer numbers and player eligibility sagas. Talk about a wake-up call for the sport.
The New Kings of Chaos
Seriously, coaches were asked “Who is in charge?” and the top answer is a *conference commissioner*. But it gets wilder. Right behind Sankey, the agents pulled in 23% of the vote. That’s nearly a quarter of coaches admitting that the people negotiating deals for players wield more power than anyone actually coaching or administrating the game. And get this: the lawyers came in at 9%, with judges at 8%. So, you’ve got agents, lawyers, and judges with more influence than, say, a legendary coach like John Calipari (who got 5%) or Duke’s Jon Scheyer (4%). Even Tom Izzo from Michigan State and Rick Pitino from St. John’s only snagged 2% each. A whopping 6% of coaches just threw their hands up and said “no one” is in charge. That “chaos” everyone’s been talking about? Yeah, the coaches feel it, and they’re pointing fingers at some wild new power brokers.
The Money Trail and Why It Matters
It’s clear why Sankey is at the top. One coach straight up said, “He has as much influence as anyone in college athletics, and has been at the forefront of navigating all of the changes involving NIL, lawsuits, eligibility and the future structure of college sports.” Another coach hammered it home: “Basketball will always follow football. Money is power, and [Sankey] runs a league with a lot of both.” This isn’t about basketball acumen, it’s about the financial muscle of the SEC pulling strings across the entire college sports landscape. And those agents everyone’s talking about? They “determine the market,” according to the coaches. It’s not about tradition or loyalty anymore; it’s about who’s got the cash and who’s controlling the deals.
Less than two months before the season tips off, the college basketball landscape is still a wild mess. With no clear idea on player eligibility and the power shifting so dramatically, the sport is in absolute flux. Coaches are frustrated, constantly asking “Who is in charge?” It’s a valid question when the answers are coming from agents, lawyers, and judges instead of the traditional power players. Buckle up, because this season is going to be unpredictable, and the questions about who really runs the show are only going to get louder.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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