The question in the title troubles me.

Even Cal's detractors will admit he is a stellar recruiter. And he has his finger on the pulse of the recruiting game even now. NIL can get kids on campus, but also helps them to stay. The payout from NIL is often well beyond what NBA farm systems can pay, so I doubt Cal, player centric as he is, would be pushing players away from that payout.

Stoops has also complained about the administration's handling of NIL. I don't think this bodes well at all.

Consider the possibility that Cal left because he wanted to leverage NIL to a degree the administration wasn't comfortable with. If this is true, and if they are being too conservative than whoever the next coach is might not matter at all. If UK won't compete in the NIL arena, they won't compete on the hardwood either no matter how storied the program has been.

Of course, it could be he left because he was sick of the sour mood of the fan base. Perhaps we should hope that is the case. Because if it was over NIL, and the administration digs in their heels, then the drought may only be beginning.