All we know about Xavier Lucas’ recruiting controversy from 2024

The University of Wisconsin has sued the University of Miami for alleged tampering in the transfer of Xavier Lucas, who transferred from the Badgers to the Hurricanes during the offseason. Wisconsin believes this move was illegal.

Here is a simple explanation of the case, and what it means for both teams and the player.

Xavier Lucas case: All we know

The Badgers are suing Miami for “tampering” in the transfer of Xavier Lucas in the winter transfer portal of 2024.

In this context, tampering involves another team secretly enticing a player to join their program. If successful, the player will then enter the transfer portal and join the team.

Sometimes, when a player leaves a team and enters the transfer portal, there is a suspicion that this was not due to the player’s decision, but due to tampering from another team.

This is something that teams may struggle to prove, and the best way to make sure the other team gets punished for this wrongdoing is to take them to court, which is what the Badgers have done.

In Lucas’ case, the Badgers denied the player from entering the transfer portal. They claim that Lucas was still under contract with the program due to his involvement with the team’s NIL revenue sharing agreement, as well as separate NIL deals made by the player.

According to college athletics attorney Mit Winter, the Badgers will need to prove that violating the NCAA’s Tampering rules is the same as breaking the law.

“Essentially, Wisconsin is asking the court to find that violating NCAA rules is akin to violating the law,” Winter wrote on X. “If we get that far in the litigation and the court agrees, that could reduce this activity. But if the court disagrees, then it will be open season.”

This case is another example of a team potentially exploiting the rules of the NIL. Cases like this reveal potential loopholes in the rules and how they can be closed.

What did Xavier Lucas do in 2024?

Focusing on the player at the center of this case, Xavier Lucas is a defensive back who spent the 2024 season with the Wisconsin Badgers before his controversial transfer to Miami.

During his freshman year, Lucas made 18 tackles (12 solo), one interception and two pass deflections. Lucas was a four-star prospect in the transfer portal and would be a strong addition to the Hurricanes.