Cavinder twins announce decision to leave Miami, college basketball
Hanna and Haley Cavinder have decided not to take their fifth year of eligibility and step away from college basketball. The twins made the announcement on social media on Tuesday morning.
The Miami basketball players and NIL stars have become two of the biggest names in college athletics in the last 21 months. They announced their first NIL deal with Boost Mobile in Times Square on the first day of college sports’ new era on July 1, 2021. From there, they’ve used their combined social media following of more than 5 million to sign with brands like Raising Cane’s, Victoria’s Secret PINK and Champs Sports.
“Hanna and I have decided to not take our fifth year and start a new chapter in our lives,” Haley wrote. “The U will always be home and we are forever proud to be Hurricanes.”
Sources have indicated to On3 the twins have multiple business opportunities ahead of them and will remain social media influencers. Entering into some of the deals may have been restricted due to NIL policies if they stayed at Miami.
“They’ve basically been ambassadors for NIL at large since Day 1,” said Darren Heitner, who has acted as the Cavinder’s attorney on all NIL dealings.
Hanna and Haley Cavinder left Fresno State and entered the transfer portal last spring, deciding to continue playing college basketball at Miami. The move to South Beach presented more NIL opportunities, elevating their national profile.
The duo continued to cash in on their NIL over the course of this academic year at Miami. The NCAA also came down with a recruiting violation on Miami in February regarding the Cavinders. According to the NCAA, the twins had dinner with Miami booster John Ruiz during their recruitment process.
Ruiz was not disassociated from the program, though. As one of the penalties, Miami coach Katie Meier sat out the first three games of the 2022-23 season. The twins were not sanctioned.
The Cavinders were able to find success on the basketball court this season. Miami made it to the Elite Eight, eventually falling to LSU, which went on to win the national title. Haley started all 35 games for the Hurricanes, averaging 12.2 points and 4.9 points per game. Hanna came off the bench in each game this season for Miami, averaging 3.8 points.
Cavinder twins’ legacy
In men’s basketball, notable names returned this season because of NIL, and North Carolina’s Armando Bacot announced earlier this week he plans to return to Chapel Hill for a fifth season. The ability to further monetize his NIL is obviously a factor.
The same can be said for the Cavinders. Heitner previously indicated to On3 that each is earning significantly more than they would should they make an WNBA roster. The average WNBA salary is $102,751, while the twins’ earnings sit well over $1 million.
The WNBA won’t be in their futures, as focusing on influencer marketing will reap greater financial reward. But they’ve taken the college athletics avenue and morphed it into their brand. Along with keeping up-to-date on social media, they post weekly vlogs on their YouTube page, which has more than 80,000 subscribers.
“They can make a lot more money on their own,” Everett Sports Management’s Jeff Hoffman said in a phone interview. “This is kind of a bridge — maybe some of the most highly-paid basketball players on the planet. And they’re deciding to go pro in something else. NIL was to provide opportunties and that’s exactly what it’s done.”
ESM and Hoffman, who serves as the Cavinder’s chief agent, will continue to represent the twins even though their basketball career is over. They were a package deal, on and off the court. And they’ll continue to market themselves that way.
In a immature space, the Cavinders were able to take their social media personalities and create a dominant NIL brand. They’ll now continue to grow that identity away from the basketball court. The possibilities could include expansion of their podcast, partnerships with businesses or starting their own company.