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UConn guard Solo Ball will miss the entirety of the 2026-27 season as he recovers from a wrist injury. He will receive a medical redshirt while rehabbing from surgery.
That future absence has created discussion on social media. Will Ball cash in his entire NIL salary?
The guard was a major contributor on last year’s national runner-up squad. He chipped in 12.8 points per game to rank third for the Huskies.
Ball was set to return as a key piece of the 2026-27 lineup. That is no longer the case. He will push his senior season by one year to come back in 2027-28.
Solo Ball is taking a medical redshirt.
He will not see the floor next year. The school provided an update on his status via social media.
“Solo is a true Husky and a champion who would do anything to be out on the court. This guy has shown throughout his career what a warrior he is. Solo is going to use the season to get his wrist fully healthy and then come back next year as one of the best guards in America while cementing his legacy as an all-time great at UConn.”
That statement from Dan Hurley would lead fans to believe UConn is being cautious with the guard. It may help that they received good news on next year from teammate Braylon Mullins, who is spurning the NBA Draft to return to Storrs.
The Huskies have also added guards Najai Hines and Nikolas Khamenia through the transfer portal. There is depth and production.
Hurley could feel good about what’s in place. He can save Ball to ensure he is at 100% before playing his next game. Still, fans had questions.
“A wrist injury does not require a whole season, especially when he’s getting the operation right now,” wrote one follower. “NIL check play.”
Details of the injury are still unclear. Severity and recovery timeline have not been made public, though the year-long absence suggests it’s significant.
There will be NIL impacts. Solo Ball has a deal in place at UConn. We do not know the terms of contract. Will he be paid his full salary?
Will Ball be paid while injured?
The numbers are not public. It’s worth noting that the guard’s NIL valuation in March of last year was $363,000. On3 currently lists him as the eighth-most highly paid player on the roster.
Payment and availability often go hand in hand, although the idea of pay for play is frowned upon by the NCAA.
With Darryn Peterson and Kansas, questions surrounding his NIL income surfaced as he battled injury in his freshman season. In a number of games, he would play the first half and sit after halftime. There were questions as to the legitimacy of his setback.
In most instances, however, he was on the court. Kansas was likely on the hook to honor its contract.
At Auburn, we saw the Tigers threaten to withhold NIL payment due to absence. That case, however, was not linked to injury.
Instead, star player KeShawn Murphy left the team before the postseason. He did not play in the NIT. His decision was personal, and potentially broke contract.
Auburn might’ve been relieved of its duty to pay any remaining money because Murphy left on his own accord. He did not live up to his end of the bargain.
Maybe the most similar case relates to South Carolina’s Cam Scott, who benched himself days before the start of last season to take a redshirt. He did make NIL cash and had access to facilities during his absence while remaining a part of the team. He then hit the transfer portal at season’s end.
Solo Ball is injured. There is no debate on that front. It is something he cannot control. It seems he and the coaching staff worked to develop a recovery plan together.
Given the NCAA’s outlook on pay for play, it likely means UConn will pay Solo Ball to sit. NIL income is meant to be linked to player/brand promotion – whether that is actually the case or not.
Terms of his new deal might’ve been negotiated with the injury in mind. The Huskies will welcome his return in 2027.