It may be one of the biggest transfer portal stories this offseason, and it could have lasting implications for the reform of tampering. This Xavier Lucas drama continues to unfold before our very eyes, and now it has another wrinkle, thanks to the awesome reporting on BadgerExta.com. According to Colten Bartholomew of the Wisconsin State Journal, Lucas signed an agreement to play for Wisconsin during this offseason but then tried to jump into the portal.
Super super interesting shit. I encourage everyone to subscribe to Badger Extra to get updated on the Xavier Lucas situation. You'll better understand why Wisconsin has remained silent after reading it.
— The Chicago Badger (@DaChicagoBadger) January 7, 2025
Based on the information that has been reported, I'm buying all the… https://t.co/Q71l63ujKU
Xavier Lucas may have signed an agreement to play at Wisconsin before asking to get in the portal.
This new wrinkle in the story has a lot to do with why Fickell is standing his ground. Tampering is one thing, but signing an agreement and then trying to back out of it may be why Wisconsin thinks they have every right to take it to court. Wisconsin still hasn't released anything official about this and may not until they have to.
"Lucas tweeted Dec. 19 that he intended to enter the portal after a year in Madison, but that announcement came roughly a week after he signed an agreement to continue playing for Wisconsin, according to a BadgerExtra source with knowledge of the agreement. Lucas signed his agreement in December, sources said, after the end of the season and before he returned home to Pompano Beach, Florida. Sources said that neither Lucas nor anyone from his camp responded to calls or messages from Wisconsin coaches and staff members for days following Lucas’ initial announcement. Conversations between Lucas and Wisconsin coaches have taken place since, Heitner confirmed."Colten Bartholomew, BadgerExtra.com
This new report from Bartholomew definitely indicates that things could get uglier before they get better. If Wisconsin has a signed agreement, they will be able to use that in any litigation. While this probably means that Lucas still won't play for Wisconsin, at this point, that ship has sailed. It may mean that the future of signed agreements and documents will help structure the future of NIL and college athletics.