UConn’s men’s basketball roster is landing in rare financial territory.
A recent CBS Sports report pegged the Huskies at nearly $20 million for the 2026-27 season, placing them in what CBS labeled “Tier 2.” That puts UConn alongside programs such as Kansas, Indiana and John Calipari’s Arkansas roster.
The top group, according to CBS, includes Texas Tech, Kentucky, Illinois, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Duke, Louisville, Tennessee, Michigan and St. John's, UConn’s biggest rival in the Big East.
CBS also pointed out that the growing number of fifth-year players returning to school has pushed budgets higher at several programs. UConn, though, does not have any fifth-year senior players back in the fold to drive up its number.
There’s no public breakdown of how UConn’s money is spread across the roster, but some educated guesses are easy to make. Sophomore star Braylon Mullins likely sits near the top of that list, with senior standout Silas Demary Jr. also presumably drawing a strong number. Transfers Na'jai Hines from Seton Hall and Nik Khamenia from Duke probably required significant NIL packages, and freshmen Colben Landrew and Junior County also seem likely to account for a sizable chunk.
The larger picture, at least in this view, is that NIL has gone too far. It was supposed to protect players from being taken advantage of by NCAA licensing deals and give them a chance to profit from appearances, commercials and radio spots.
Instead, it has become a straight salary system. That has brought more teams into the championship picture, but it has also stripped away some of the old feel of college basketball.
UConn also has to keep an eye on what St. John's is doing.
Rival spending always matters, and it matters here too. Still, there’s a catch: Donnie Freeman, a transfer from Syracuse, is expected to miss the entire season after tearing his ACL this summer.
He likely would have commanded a hefty price in the portal.
As for UConn not cracking CBS’s top spending tier? It is always better to be at the very top of a list like this, but the Huskies have reached three national title games in four years, and they have a head coach with a proven track record of getting players to the NBA. In Storrs, that makes things look pretty good overall.
The hope now is that Mullins can be available after sitting out each of the first two games. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
UConn Faces A Real Test As UMass Brings A New Problem To The Rent
UMass has gone from winless a year ago to 4-0 entering its trip to The Rent, giving the Battle for the Southwick Jug a different feel than UConn usually gets in this matchup. The Minutemen also expect quarterback William Pop Watson III back from an ankle injury, which adds another layer for a Huskies team trying to sort out its own footing as conference play and the deeper part of the schedule start to press in.
UConn coach Jason Candle said his staff is preparing for Watsons return while also pushing his team to get better in the run game and tighten up against the pass. For the Huskies, the challenge is not just stopping a surging opponent, but proving they can control a game on both sides of the ball against a team that no longer looks like the same easy landing spot it once did. [Read more 🡒]
Hurley Sees One Big Reason UConn Can Get Much Better
UConn has handled its first two exhibition tests, beating Syracuse and Michigan State, but Dan Hurley still sees room for this group to climb before the games start counting. The Huskies have shown defensive strength early, which is usually where Hurley wants his team to set the tone anyway, and the coach has pointed to the roster as one that can keep improving as the preseason winds down.
One obvious piece of that puzzle has been missing. Sophomore Braylon Mullins has sat out both exhibition games with an undisclosed injury, leaving UConn to keep piecing together its offense while it waits for a fuller look at the rotation. With Purdue up next in the final exhibition and the regular season set to begin on Nov. 2, the Huskies still have time to sharpen things before the real schedule begins. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Gets A Rare Rivalry Stage To Prove Something Friday Night
A rare Friday night spotlight is coming to Storrs, where UConn will host UMass in a rivalry game that carries a little more weight than the usual late-season meeting. It is the first meaningful matchup between the programs in nearly three decades, and the Huskies get a home stage after a bye week that was supposed to help them recover, reset and sharpen up after an uneven start.
Jason Candle and his players have been leaning into the idea of responding to adversity and closing out games the right way, a theme that has followed UConn through some of its most resilient stretches this season. For a team trying to build momentum and improve at home, this one offers a chance not just to win a rivalry game, but to show that the lessons from the bye week are starting to stick when the lights are on. [Read more 🡒]