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Judge Approves Historic House v. NCAA Settlement

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Following a lengthy process, a federal judge on Friday granted final approval of the House v. NCAA Settlement, paving the way for schools to pay athletes directly.

In a landmark decision that will alter the landscape of collegiate sports, Judge Claudia Wilken of the Northern District of California approved a far-reaching settlement of the House v. NCAA case on Friday. The settlement touches on a host of important issues:

1. $2.8 billion in back pay to former NCAA athletes

The settlement will reward damages to athletes dating back to 2016 who were not allowed to sign NIL deals and thus were not able to profit in the same way current athletes are able. The bulk of this money is expected to go to former football and men’s basketball players.

2. $20.5 million in revenue sharing per school

A formula derived from a percentage of average power school revenues will establish a maximum revenue sharing pool for each institution, expected to be around $20.5 million for the upcoming 2025-2026 academic year. Schools are not required to spend this much — many won’t — and distributions are expected to weigh heavily toward football.

3. Roster Limits

All roster spots can now be given scholarships with defined limits for each sport. For example, football rosters are now capped at 105 players (previously 85), and any number of those players are allowed to be given scholarships. Baseball (previously allowed 11.7 scholarships) can now scholarship as many as 34 players.

4. NIL Clearinghouse

A Deloitte-run NIL clearinghouse will be established. All third-party deals of at least $600 must go through that clearinghouse to be either approved or disapproved, with mechanisms existing for resubmission and alteration of said deals.

What’s Next?

Ross Dellenger (Yahoo) and The Athletic have written in more detail about the settlement. The ramifications of this massive decision are only just beginning. More details will come out over the days and weeks ahead.

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: G Jordan Williams commits to Owls

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An SEC transfer has signed as the final addition to the 2025 Rice basketball recruiting class. Former Vanderbilt point guard Jordan Williams is officially an Owl.

Following an initial flurry of activity with the end of the season, rosters across the country have been trending closer and closer towards competition. The 2025 Rice Basketball recruiting class found its final member not too far from South Main. Houston native Jordan Williams has signed his grant-in-aid to play for the Owls this coming season.

Williams hails from Second Baptist High School not too far down the road, where he got his start, before initially signing with Texas A&M. He would redshirt in his lone season in College Station before transferring to Vanderbilt, where he saw action in 37 games, making 10 starts across the past two seasons.

Upon his signing, Rice basketball head coach Rob Lanier called Williams “an extremely competitive player who has the skill and aptitude on offense along with versality and grit on defense” as well as a player who “brings an abundance of something we cannot teach…toughness.”

More: Rice Basketball 2025 Roster Tracker

He will likely be the final member of a transfer ground that includes players from across the country such as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi center Stephen Giwa, Prairie View A&M guard Nick Anderson, Mount St. Mary’s guard Dallas Hobbs and JUCO forward Eternity Eguagie.

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: F Eternity Eguagie commits to Owls

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A dynamic JUCO hooper is joining the 2025 Rice basketball recruiting class. Forward Eternity Eguagie has committed to the Owls.

Since he arrived at South Main, head coach Rob Lanier has made it abundantly clear he’ll look everywhere for talented playmakers to add to his roster. The most recent addition to the 2025 Rice Basketball recruiting class. By way of a Kansas junior college, Canadian native Eternity Eguagie has committed to the Owls.

Eguagie picked Rice over offers from UMass, Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Austin Peay and others, bringing his dynamic scoring abilities to Texas after one year at the junior college ranks. He started all 31 games for Colby Community College, averaging 18.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, pacing his team in most every category while averaging more than 30 minutes per game.

As for why Eguagie picked the Owls, “Rice just felt like home,” he told The Roost. “The coaching staff made me feel valued and I could really see myself growing both as a player and as a person in that environment.”

Rice has had success acquiring talent from outside the D1 level, most recently finding Jacob Dar from Emory and Henry a season ago. The reality, though, was that many of the Owls’ transfer portal additions a year ago came from outside the sport’s marquee brands. The same can be said of this current class.

The 2025 Rice Basketball recruiting class also includes players from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (center Stephen Giwa), Prairie View A&M (guard Nick Anderson) as well as Mount St. Mary’s (guard Dallas Hobbs).

More: Rice Basketball 2025 Roster Tracker

Eguagie’s athleticism is intoxicating on film. He was a force at the rim against his JUCO peers, but even if some of that is limited by the step-up in competition, the 6-foot-6 forward possesses enough quickness and versatility that suggests he’ll be able to find additional ways to contribute. He’s a reliable three-point shooter, too.

“Rice fans can expect someone who is going to give their absolute all every time I step on the court,” he said. “As well as a dedicated and hardworking player who is always striving to improve.”

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: G Dallas Hobbs commits to Owls

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The Transfer Portal remains kind to Rice basketball recruiting efforts. Mount St. Mary’s guard Dallas Hobbs has committed to the Owls.

A high-scoring point guard with NCAA Tournament experience is heading to South Main as the most recent addition to the 2025 Rice Basketball recruiting class. Mount St. Mary’s guard Dallas Hobbs has committed to the Owls.

A native of DeSoto, Texas, Hobbs spent his first two seasons of college ball with the Mountaineers, making 11 starts as a true freshman before becoming a full-time starter as a sophomore this past season. He averaged 12.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while knocking down more than 50 three-pointers.

“Coach [Lanier] likes to play fast and lets his guards play with a lot of freedom and that’s what I do,” Hobbs told The Roost. “So it’s a great fit.”

Hobbs helped lead Mount St. Mary’s to the NCAA Tournament, where they defeated American University in a First Four matchup before eventually losing to Final Four participant, Duke. Hobbs scored 17 points in that game, shooting 4-of-8 from three.

Now that Hobbs is in the fold, the 2025 Rice Basketball recruiting class has grown to three portal additions. Also committing this week were Texas A&M-Corpus Christi center Stephen Giwa and Prairie View A&M guard Nick Anderson.

More: Rice Basketball 2025 Roster Tracker

Hobbs is a two-way player with a quick first step. He drives the paint well and can finish at the rim. His highlights showcase a variety of powerful moves to the basket. He should be able to contribute at the point guard position immediately for Rice basketball. At a minimum, he’ll provide another potent scoring option the Owls’ need.

“I’m just at hooper,” Hobbs said. “I do everything. Dribble, pass, shoot, play defense. Whatever it takes.”

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: G Nick Anderson commits to Owls

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Another Transfer Portal addition to the Rice basketball recruiting class has been announced. Prairie View A&M guard Nick Anderson committed to the Owls.

Days after the Transfer Portal has opened the 2025 Rice Basketball recruiting class has grown by two. Following the commitment of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi center Stephen Giwa on Thursday, the Owls have picked up another pledge. Prairie View A&M guard Nick Anderson has committed to the Owls.

“They made me feel the most wanted, and made sure I knew they would have my back whether things are good or bad,” Anderson told The Roost in regards to his early impressions of Rice and the Owls’ staff. “It just felt like family as soon as I walked through the doors.”

To get to South Main, Anderson has worked his way up from the DIII level, beginning his collegiate basketball career at St. Thomas in 2022, scoring 8 points with four rebounds against Rice in 2023 on his way to averaging 16.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game during that sophomore season. From there, Anderson made the leap to D1 and did not miss a beat.

In his lone season at Prairie View, Anderson averaged 18.9 points per game before suffering an injury that ended his season. At the time his season ended in late December, following an 18-point, 10-rebound performance against Rice, Anderson was the leading scorer in the WAC who already had big games against DePaul, Mississippi State and UCLA on his resume.

Anderson is the type of explosive scorer the Owls needed desperately last season and in terms of how transfers are graded, he’s one of the more proven commodities that have headed to South Main in recent years.

More: Rice Basketball 2025 Roster Tracker

“I feel like I score the ball at a high level without having to force it and ruin the flow of the offense,” Anderson said.

The highlights are enticing and seem to back up Anderson’s assertions. He isn’t afraid to put the ball down and go, moving with an aggressive intensity in the paint. He’s also a capable three-point threat, making him a versatile scorer from all three levels and a big get for Rice basketball from the portal.

“I like to have fun on the court, so I may have some goofy reactions,” he joked. “lol “But winning is the most important thing so I’m here to help Rice win some games.”

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