Jordan Bohannon says he’ll return to Iowa men's basketball if state NIL bill passes

Jordan Bohannon said Tuesday he may be returning to the Iowa men's basketball team for a sixth season, but also made it sound unlikely.

On Twitter, Bohannon wrote 'This last week has been extremely difficult in regards to deciding what my future, and in specific next year, will look like. We have worked tremendously hard on Senate File 245, which would allow college athletes in Iowa to make money off their Name, Image, and Likeness.

'The bill's deadline is this Thursday to be voted on or it will die. I am still undecided on what I want to do next year. However, if this bill were to pass, I would come back to Iowa next year.'

In a radio interview with KXNO in Des Moines a little later in the day, Bohannon said the bill in the Iowa Senate is 'looking like it will die on Thursday. I'm just using my platform I have. I've worked really hard with this bill and want to do everything possible to try to get (it) one last chance to move forward.'

WHO-TV reporter Monica Madden said Tuesday that she was told the Iowa Senate has no plans to debate bills the rest of this week.

I'm told the Iowa Senate is not planning to debate bills the rest of this week. It's the second funnel deadline on Friday, so bills have to pass out of the chamber in which they were introduced AND also have to pass out of committee in the opposite chamber. March 30, 2021

I'm told the Iowa Senate is not planning to debate bills the rest of this week. It's the second funnel deadline on Friday, so bills have to pass out of the chamber in which they were introduced AND also have to pass out of committee in the opposite chamber. #ialegis

— Monica Madden (@themonicamadden)

Under S.F. 245, Iowa colleges and universities would not be able to prevent athletes from receiving compensation for use of their name, image, or likeness when they're not engaged in official team activities. Senators Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale) and Nate Boulton (D-Des Moines) introduced the proposal again this year after a previous bill failed to make it to a floor vote. If it becomes a law, Iowa would join Florida as the first states to have such legislation go into effect in July. The bill passed the Judiciary Committee on a voice vote without opposition.

'I don't see a good reason for our student-athletes in Iowa to patiently wait their turn when athletes in other states will not have to,' Boulton said in February. 'I think that's what really has put the pressure on us as legislators to protect the student-athletes who are in our state and advocate for their interests.'

Bohannon, from Marion, just finished his fifth year in Iowa's program. He took a medical redshirt after playing in 10 games of the 2019-20 season. All NCAA college athletes who participate in the 2020-21 school year get a waiver for the flexibility for an additional year of competition if they desire one.

Bohannon had 10.6 points and 4.4 assists per game in the season that just ended. He scored 1,638 points and made 364 3-pointers in his career.

He, along with Isaiah Livers of Michigan and Geo Baker of Rutgers, will be among college athletes meeting with NCAA President Mark Emmert Thursday morning to discuss the NIL issue.

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