Music and business mogul Master P is serious about building generational wealth, such much so that he claims he has already secured million-dollar deals for his teenage sons Hercy and Mercy as they pursue their hoop dreams.
Hercy, 19, is headed to Tennessee State University on a basketball scholarship in the fall, and if the odds are truly in his favor with the NCAA changing rules on how players can profit off their own likenesses, then he will have $2.5 million awaiting him, his father is saying.
“We have a lot of deals on the table for not only Hercy, but for Mercy,” Master P told TMZ Sports. The No Limit Records co-founder says he’s negotiated deals ahead of the NCAA formalizing the repeal of its long-standing rules that prevent players from entering agreements that let them profit off their names, images, or likenesses.
“In August the league, the NCAA, you’ll be able to make money off your likeness, you’ll be able to do marketing deals,” Master P said. “So right now I have a deal on the table for Hercy for $2.5 million. He never even played a lick of [college] basketball.”
Master P is tight-lipped on the details of the pending deal, but did however manage to share it involves a product.
“I can’t sign the deal till after August…if this rule goes through. If the new rules change he’ll be the highest paid college player,” he said, seemingly acknowledging that the NCAA’s proposed name, image, likeness (NIL) rules changes actually have been put on hold since they were first drafted last spring. As dozens of states began introducing their own NIL bills since last 2020, the college athletics governing body changed direction this year and opted to wait for federal legislation to provide one framework in the face of a patchwork of competing rules from state to state. So far such federal legislation also is hold.
Fifteen-year-old Mercy, who is a 6-foot-4 high school freshman, has a deal on the table for $1 million, his father says.
Last April the NCAA Board of Governors announced its proposal to allow players to receive compensation through social media, businesses and personal appearances.
“As we evolve, the Association will continue to identify the guardrails to further support student-athletes within the context of college sports and higher education,” said Val Ackerman, commissioner of the Big East and working group co-chair said then.
While Master P seemingly is clear on how the rule change might help his offspring build their own legacies, he also says it will help other college players to secure their educations before rolling the dice on a professional athletic career.
“I think the game is gone change after August first anyway, so it’ll make you want to stay in college now,” Master P said.
“For me I work hard so I wanna make money off my own name,” Mercy told TMZ. The soon-to-be college freshman announced his plans to commit TSU, a historically Black university, in March. The basketball standout had offers to play at UCLA, USC, Vanderbilt and several other Division l and ll schools.
“I want to be a leader, and a dream of mine and a goal of mine is to change the narrative,” said Mercy when making his commitment announcement.
