Money is reshaping the landscape of college athletics, and Alabama State is ensuring it stays ahead of the curve.
Athletic Director Dr. Jason Cable recognized that to remain competitive, the Hornets needed to evolve — leading to the July 16 launch of the Hornet Student-Athlete NIL Fund.
Designed in the wake of the NCAA v. House settlement, the fund offers fans and alumni the opportunity to directly support Alabama State athletes through revenue-sharing and NIL initiatives. The move allows the university to invest in its players’ marketability while positioning ASU to recruit and retain elite talent, a shift Cable called “essential for the future of Hornet athletics.”
On Tuesday, the fund took center stage with Alabama State’s inaugural Basketball Tip-Off Dinner, held just weeks before the men’s and women’s teams open their 2025–26 campaigns.
The evening drew a packed house inside the John Garrick Hardy Center, headlined by two basketball Hall of Famers — NBA legend Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and WNBA icon Cynthia Cooper — who shared their insights on how NIL has transformed college sports.
Hardaway, the 2025 AAC Coach of the Year and head coach at Memphis, drew laughter and nods from the audience when he said, “Today, it’s about the money — it is what it is. “It’s not about out-recruiting these other schools, it’s about outbidding them now.”
Cooper, whose storied career with the Houston Comets included four WNBA titles and four Finals MVP awards, spoke about the importance of mentorship and community in women’s athletics. Her connection with Alabama State women’s head coach Johnetta Hayes — a former member of Cooper’s coaching staff at Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern — made the moment more personal.
Hayes echoed Cable’s call for community support. “I can’t stress enough how vital our community is in all this,” she said. “This fund gives us a real shot at landing elite athletes who can impact this program and this city. But it starts with everyone investing in our student-athletes.”
Cable’s vision for the Hornet NIL Fund is simple: sustainability through unity. By combining fan support with institutional innovation, Alabama State is not only keeping pace with its Power 4 and SEC counterparts — it’s redefining what investment in HBCU athletics looks like.