Updates to Cal Legends Collective’s fundraising drives for football & basketball

Cal football is targeting $1 million NIL and Cal men's basketball $500,000

Credit: Rob Hwang

In the wake of a relatively solid month in Cal news, the Cal Legends Collective (responsible for our NIL efforts to our student athletes) is going all in to try and close on spring transfer recruits to bolster up our three big programs as we transition to the ACC for the biggest year in modern program history.

There is never been a better time for every Cal fan to make a direct difference than by contributing whatever they can to Cal’s NIL funds. These are the wishes of every coach in Berkeley. It is the currency that can move the Bears from afterthought to contender in everyone of the sports that Cal needs to be competitive in to remain a player in major college athletics.

Cal has a new chancellor in Rich Lyons who will be the most invested leader we we will ever have in our program. If you have a voice that matters, this is the time to reach out and discuss Cal’s future in realignment, improving its brand, your ideas for/criticisms of the athletic department, etc.

Cal football has already proven the success of NIL with two straight top-25 transfer portal classes that lifted the Bears from the basement back into bowl eligibility to a potential position as a relatively solid ACC contender. The goal is $1 million and they are currently at $529,446 as of Friday April 19th. You can donate here.

Basketball in particular is of need on donations. With the impeding visits of top targets on the horizon, including the likes of Andrej Stojakovic (the son of Sacramento Kings great Peja Stojakovic), Norfolk State G Jamarii Thomas, and UTSA G Christian Tucker. That’s without talking about the two commits already through the portal in top JUCO recruit Forward Jeff Nwanko and North Dakota State transfer Forward BJ Omot. Transfer PG Myron Amey Jr., is also deciding his landing spot on Saturday and the Bears are squarely in the mix. The star player, the Bears will undoubtedly try to recruit across the Caldecott Tunnel is Saint Marys transfer PG Aidan Mahaney. Mahaney should have his list of suitors after entering the portal with reportedly over 15 schools having reached out to him. The Bears should be in the mix early and helping the Madsen through the NIL program could help the Bears land the local and nationally touted talent.

Cal men’s basketball has extended rising head coach in Mark Madsen who is happy to be in the Bay Area, and needs NIL funds to close in on an ACC-worthy portal class. Starting April 17th, through April 30th, 2024 all donations up to $125,000 in total will be matched by the generosity of an anonymous donor, leading to $250,000 in donations to California Legends Collective. The goal is half a million with $127,210 currently raised as of Friday, April 19th. You can donate here.

Cal women’s basketball has a great recruiter in Charmin Smith who has begun the turnaround with women’s hoops. She needs funds to keep building on last year’s improvements. You can donate here.

We encourage you to donate to whichever one of these three programs you feel, whether it’s matching or whether it’s at the figure you feel most comfortable. We also encourage you to leave comments so we can show how invested the Write For California community is in our success. It’s now or never for Cal Athletics.

Go Bears!