The figures in some Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) scenarios are absolutely preposterous, but former St. John's basketball standout AJ Storr might have just set the record for how broken the system is in college basketball.
Storr recently finished his sophomore year at Wisconsin, making Second Team All-Big Ten, while averaging 16.8 points per game and being used far more often than he was during his freshman season with the Red Storm under head coach Mike Anderson.
However, his season came to a disappointing end in his return to New York, shooting 5-for-14 from the floor in the Badgers' upset loss to James Madison in the NCAA Tournament in Brooklyn.
It didn't take long for Storr to make a decision on his future as he entered the 2024 NBA Draft in addition to another trip in the transfer portal.
Should Storr elect to remain in college rather than going pro, it will be his seventh school in the last seven years. He started his high school career at Kankakee High School (Ill.), before going to Bishop Gorman, AZ Compass Prep, IMG Academy, St. John's, and Wisconsin.
Despite that, many high profile schools are after the 6-foot-7 guard, including the Kansas Jayhawks, one of the premier programs in the sport.
It was reported by Chas Wolfe, a NCAA certified agent high school boys basketball scout, that Storr asked Kansas for $1 million in NIL and the Jayhawks tried to compromise with $750K.
Storr turned it down.
Transfer Portal / NIL Marketplace:
— Chas. Wolfe (@highmajorscoop) April 2, 2024
Per a close source, AJ Storr asked Kansas for $1,000,000. The Jayhawks countered with $750,000 take it or leave it offer.
Storr left it.
Insanity.
It's not the first time that Storr has been outrageous in requesting NIL money and it's one of the reasons that he didn't return to St. John's when Rick Pitino was hired.
Storr and his family were looking for a high six-figure NIL deal from the Johnnies and a guaranteed starting spot on Pitino's inaugural roster in Queens. It's been reported that he has asked other schools for similar.
Rick Pitino, in his infamous "slow laterally" press conference in mid-February, explained that he tried to keep Storr after he entered the portal. He was invited to remain on the roster, but decided to go elsewhere after his requests weren't met.
He is not a player the Red Storm are targeting again in the portal.
AJ Storr is ranked No. 81 in ESPN's NBA Draft Top-100 Big Board and his meeting with Kansas shows that a return to college could be more likely than remaining in the draft.