Sports

Did Baylor Buy Kayden Mingo A House To Lure 5-Star Brother To Waco?

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iStockphoto / © Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images


It’s often hard to believe anything seen on the internet when it comes to college sports and NIL contracts. Numbers often seem skewed. Records are not made public. In most cases, reports create more confusion than clarity.

That is the case with a viral post involving Baylor basketball and Kayden Mingo.

A supposed screenshot of Mingo’s new home in Waco has taken social media by storm. Posted on April 20th, the photo currently boasts 2.1 million views, 13,000 likes, and boatloads of negative comments ripping the NIL landscape.

Is it true? Let’s dive in.

Who is Kayden Mingo?

The combo guard was a four-star recruit in the class of 2025. A New York native, he signed with Penn State out of high school over interest from Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Georgia, and Wake Forest.

In one season with the Nittany Lions, Mingo averaged 13.7 points per game while leading the Big Ten in steals. He hopped in the transfer portal ahead of his sophomore season with intentions of playing elsewhere next year.

Mingo’s recruitment is notable for a few different reasons. Obviously, the talent is there. He could also be a package deal with 5-star brother Dylan Mingo, who recently decommitted from North Carolina amid a coaching change.

The younger Mingo was said to have been dropped by the Tar Heels due to his bowed legs, which led to injury. With that being said, he is still a highly sought after player with tons of potential when healthy.

Given the talent of both Mingo brothers, recruiting interest was high. The program looking to land Kayden Mingo was going to have to offer a competitive NIL package.

Last week, he signed with Baylor. Rumors surrounding his deal immediately surfaced on social media.

Did Baylor buy Kayden Mingo a house?

A post circulating the internet insinuates that the Bears secured Mingo’s commitment by purchasing the guard a new home. It is not real.

The OP goes by the name Shane Tuttle on X. His profile bio reads as follows: “Everything I do is Satire… Not impersonating and not affiliated with NCAA.”

Most did not read that bio before jumping to conclusions. They, instead, ran with the idea that Baylor used a home purchase to convince Kayden Mingo to play basketball at the school.

At the bottom of the tweet reads a community note saying, “This house is in Heath, TX, which is 117 miles from Waco, TX. It was never posted on the athlete’s Instagram story. Satire being presented as fact for clickbait.”

The home purchase was quickly debunked, though duped followers continue to comment.

“Don’t blame the kid for leaving—but this is nowhere near the original intention of NIL. The NCAA has completely lost control,” one Penn State supporter wrote. They were not alone.

While dozens of replies continue to flood the timeline, the fact remains. Baylor did not buy Kayden Mingo a house.

They did, however, land his signature. We’ll see if they can do the same with his brother, Dylan.