Optimism growing around Isiaih Mosley's return to Missouri State basketball after NIL offer

Optimism is growing around Missouri State's ability to retain star basketball player Isiaih Mosley after he was presented with a "sizable" Name, Image and Likeness deal to keep him in a Bears uniform.

First reported on Sports Talk with Art Hains and Wyatt Wheeler, members of the Springfield community have recently stepped up in an effort to keep one of the most prolific scorers in school history in maroon and white.

Hains said a "sizable amount of money has been raised and presented to him." A meeting between Mosley and community members was held before the Bears played in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament last week.

The money wasn't presented by the university, per NCAA rules, but by boosters who have been fundraising to present the deal. Sources say the goal has been to present him with a deal between five and six figures.

Name, Image and Likeness, or NIL, has been a new revolution in college athletics since legislation started to allow student-athletes to pursue endorsement opportunities and monetize their celebrity status last summer. Before then, NCAA rules didn't allow student-athletes to profit off their likeness.

According to NCAA rules, schools aren't allowed to pitch or create any NIL deals for players or recruits.

Missouri State's run in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament ended Saturday in a semifinal heartbreaker against Drake. After the game, Mosley was asked about his future.

"I'm just looking forward to seeing if we'll be in the NIT or whatever the decision is," Mosley said. "I'll make that decision when it's time."

Mosley currently sits tied for 12th on Missouri State's all-time leading scoring list at 1,406 points. If he returns to Missouri State and has a similar season to the one he just had, he could break Daryel Garrison's school record of 1,975 points from 1971-75. Mosley would also have the option to return for an additional year due to NCAA eligibility rules after a COVID-19 impacted season in 2020-21.

Mosley is also going to have the option to enter his name into the upcoming NBA Draft — in which some mock drafts have projected him as high as a second-round pick. Mosley could enter his name, withdraw and return to school after getting feedback from evaluators — much like Alize Johnson and Tulio Da Silva did before their senior seasons.

A return to Missouri State could help solidify Mosley as one of the program's all-time greats. He has been named a first-team All-MVC player in back-to-back seasons. He was second in the voting for the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year in 2022. He's averaged the most points in the Valley in back-to-back seasons.

The Bears are still holding out hope that their 2021-22 season isn't over as they wait to hear if they will be invited to play in the National Invitation Tournament.

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or Twitter at @WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the co-host of Sports Talk on Jock Radio weekdays from 4-6 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State basketball: Isiaih Mosley given 'sizable' NIL offer