With the Sweet 16 tipping off Thursday night, college basketball spending is under the microscope again. On3’s Pete Nakos just dropped a report laying out what the remaining NCAA Tournament teams are shelling out for the 2025-26 season.
Michigan, with Dusty May at the helm, is right near the top. Their reported roster budget? At least $10 million. That number’s got people talking—some are even debating whether money’s become the real MVP in building college hoops powerhouses.
Michigan’s Financial Commitment to Success
Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Michigan among the big spenders. The Wolverines are dropping at least $10 million on their squad for 2025-26.
That kind of cash signals they’re all-in on competing at the highest level. Still, let’s clear something up—contrary to what rival fans might claim, Michigan didn’t just hand UAB transfer and Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg $10 million by himself.
And if you look around the Big Ten, Michigan’s spending isn’t wildly out of line with their peers.
Joining the “$10 Million Club”
Michigan’s not alone in this. Other Sweet 16 teams—Arkansas, Duke, Houston, St. John’s, and Texas—are all in the $10 million club too.
Then there’s Kentucky, who’s already out of the tournament, but reportedly spent a jaw-dropping $22 million this season. It’s wild how far schools will go to land top-tier talent.
Spending Strategies: High School Recruits vs. Transfers
Not every team’s splashing their cash the same way. Houston, Duke, and Arkansas went heavy on high school recruits, while Michigan made their splash in the transfer portal with Yaxel Lendeborg.
St. John’s kept forward Zuby Ejiofor in the fold. It’s interesting—some programs want fresh faces, others are betting on experience.
Big Ten’s Financial Landscape
Zooming in on the Big Ten, Michigan isn’t the only one writing big checks. Illinois, Iowa, and Purdue are also spending somewhere between $8 million and $10 million each.
That’s a sign of just how fierce the conference is right now. Alabama, Arizona, Tennessee, and UConn are also in that spending range, by the way.
Seems like there’s no shortage of programs ready to pay up for a shot at the title.
Getting the Most Bang for Their Buck
But hey, it’s not all about who spends the most. Some teams—like Iowa State and Nebraska—are making it work on leaner budgets.
Iowa State’s around $6.5 million, and Nebraska is even lower at $4.5 million. It’s kind of refreshing to see smart spending still counts for something, isn’t it?
The Mystery of Michigan State’s Budget
One thing that’s still up in the air: Michigan State’s numbers. On3 couldn’t get a budget for the Spartans this season.
Tom Izzo did mention earlier they had $3.5 million available in revenue sharing, but sources think they spent way more than that. Makes you wonder what’s really going on behind the scenes.
Looking Ahead: The Future of College Basketball Spending
Looking forward, it’s hard to imagine these budgets going anywhere but up. On3’s report says next season’s high-end budgets could hit $12 to $15 million.
Money’s only getting more important for building a winning program—and it doesn’t look like that’s changing anytime soon.
Dusty May’s Take on Financial Transparency
Michigan head coach Dusty May has chimed in on all the talk about the program’s budget. With a bit of humor, he said he’s more than ready for the IRS to dig into college basketball programs and show everyone the real numbers.
His push for transparency puts a spotlight on the constant debates about fairness and honest reporting in college sports. It’s a topic that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon.
For more details on what college basketball programs are actually spending, you can check out the full report here.
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