Master P has made a name for himself making big deals as a music mogul and now he’s setting his sights on a big deal for the next generation.
The No Limit Records founder told TMZ that he was negotiating a $2.5 million contract for his son, Hercy Miller, as the teenager prepares to enter his first year of college basketball. This is, according to him, contingent on a forthcoming rule change for the NCAA.
Hercy, 19, is currently a senior in high school and ranks among the top high school hoopers in the country. He has committed to play for Tennessee State University in the fall.
As previously reported by theGrio, Hercy is a three-star basketball recruit and chose to play for a historically Black college over higher-profile Division 1 schools such as the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Southern California, Louisiana State University and the University of Missouri.
According to his father, who’s real name is Percy Miller, a negotiation for him to sign a “product” deal is currently on the table, in which the 19-year-old is set to make a fortune.
“So, right now, I have a deal on the table for Hercy to make $2.5 million,” Master P said of his son. “He never even played a lick of [college] basketball.”
When asked if the deal was a shoe deal, Miller was coy on the details, not able to disclose official information that would sacrifice Hercy’s eligibility.
“I can say it’s product, but I can’t sign the deal until after August,” he said.
Master P said that’s when a pending rule change from the NCAA, the governing body of collegiate athletics, would allow college athletes to “be able to make money off your likeness” as well as “do marketing deals.”
As reported by USA Today, the NCAA could institute rule changes that would allow college athletes to be able to profit from their name, likeness and image. If the rule is approved, it would be set to take effect on Aug. 1.
Master P also says that in addition to Hercy, his younger son, Mercy, currently has a $1 million deal on the table as well, despite him only being a freshman in high school.
Miller hopes that this deal for Hercy will have a domino effect on high school athletes, inspiring them to remain in college longer rather than leaving after a year or two or going straight to the NBA’s G League.
“Guys that are going to the G League and to these other — they’re not even getting that type of money,” Master P said. “I think the game is going to change after Aug. 1, anyway.”
After a 2018 salary raise, according to ESPN, the G League was able to offer a base salary of $7,000 per month to its players during the five-month season, totaling $35,000. With an additional ceiling of $26,000 in bonuses and incentives, the developmental league was looking like a potential alternative for players right out of high school.
One such player was Darius Bazley, who was a McDonald’s All-American in 2018. He currently plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he’s averaging 13.8 points this season.
Story & Photo Credit: Matthew Allen/thegrio/Stephen A. Smith