
Generally, breakups in the sports world tend to drag, putting both the player and team in an awkward period as the situation gets resolved. That hasn’t been the case for Nico Iamaleava and the Tennessee Volunteers. In a surreal turnaround, Iamaleava went from being the team’s future at the quarterback position to one of the most hated players in the program’s history.
Angling to negotiate a better NIL deal, Iamaleava was rejected by Tennessee and then etered the transfer portal with eyes on more money. It appeared that the 20-year-old had made a grave mistake, as reports surfaced recently that programs were waiting for his price to drop to even lower than his Volunteers deal. But on Wednesday, word came out that Iamaleava is fully expected to join the UCLA Bruins for the upcoming season. Although it may come at a discount.
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Nico Iamaleava expected to transfer to UCLA
ESPN senior writer Chris Low doesn’t believe Iamaleava’s deal with UCLA will be anywhere near what he wants, and it’s possible he doesn’t even reach the number he had with the Volunteers.
According to ESPN’s Max Olson, there isn’t a “significant bidding war” for Iamaleava. In fact, he says UCLA is one of his only options. They’re trying to work out a deal, but it sounds like Iamaleava has lost a ton of negotiating leverage.
The good news for Iamaleava is that he’ll be playing at a prestigious school and will still be getting paid. He will also be much closer to home, as he’s a native of Long Beach, California.
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