Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton Faces Lawsuit Alleging $1.5M in Unpaid NIL Deals

The Florida State Seminoles men’s basketball coach Leonard Hamilton is at the center of an intriguing legal battle, as six former players have filed a lawsuit against him for $1.5 million in unpaid NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) compensation. Per Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, the suit alleges that Hamilton promised each player $250,000 in NIL payments through his “business partners” during the 2023-24 season, a promise that ultimately went unfulfilled.

The plaintiffs—Darin Green Jr., Josh Nickelberry, Primo Spears, Cam’Ron Fletcher, De’Ante Green, and Jalen Warley—claim that Hamilton made these guarantees in both team meetings and private conversations, persuading some players to remain at FSU while recruiting others to transfer in. The alleged failure to deliver on these promises not only damaged player trust but also created turmoil within the team. According to the suit, the players boycotted a practice before a February 17 game against the Duke Blue Devils in frustration over the unpaid NIL compensation. While Hamilton convinced them to play in the game after promising payments the following week, the money never arrived.