Money today.
Possibilities tomorrow.
Waiting may make sense if you don't need the money today and prefer to receive the full amount of your scheduled payments over time. Selling your claim means accepting less than the potential future payments in exchange for immediate liquidity.
For some former college athletes, however, getting access to a significant portion of their settlement now gives them something they value highly: control over what they can do with the money today.
We spoke with former NCAA athletes who sold their claims through Xclaim. Their reasons ranged from investing and paying down debt to supporting their families, building savings, and simply not wanting to wait years for their money.
Here's what they told us.
Why Wait Years to Access Your Money?
One of the biggest reasons athletes told us they sold their NCAA settlement claims was simple: they didn't want to wait years to receive their money.
Instead, they preferred accepting a lump sum they could access today.
Former Vanderbilt quarterback Shawn Stankavage summed up the decision:
For me, having the money today was more valuable than waiting for payments over the next 10 years.
Former Missouri football player Gerald Nathan Jr. looked at the decision from another perspective: his age.
Ten years was too long for me. My youth and having flexibility at a young age were more important than slowly getting my money over time.
The tradeoff is important.
When you sell an NCAA settlement claim, you generally receive less today than the total amount you could potentially receive by keeping your claim and collecting future payments.
In return, you receive something different: immediate liquidity.
For some athletes, what they can do with that money today is more important than maximizing the nominal amount they may receive over many years.
Put the Money to Work Today
Another common reason athletes gave for selling was the opportunity to invest the proceeds now rather than waiting for future payments.
Former Oklahoma State basketball player Clitan de Sousa explained:
I wanted the money now so I could invest it and start building something for my future instead of waiting years to get paid.
Former Oklahoma and UC Santa Barbara basketball player Matt Freeman expressed a similar view:
I’m confident in my ability to invest the money now and potentially turn it into more than I would receive by waiting 10 or 11 years.
Of course, investment returns aren't guaranteed. Selling a claim to invest the proceeds involves investment risk, just like any other investment decision.
But these athletes weren't simply comparing one dollar amount with another.
They were asking a different question:
What could I do with this money if I had access to it today?
For some, the answer was investing. Others wanted to start businesses, build savings, or create a financial cushion.
Take Control of Your Money
Selling an NCAA claim can also be about control and flexibility.
When Matt Freeman decided to sell, certainty played a major role:
Taking the lump sum removed the uncertainty. I have the money now, and I can decide what I want to do with it.
Former University of Utah football player Simi Moala emphasized that the decision should depend on each athlete's circumstances:
It all depends on your situation. I’m a family man and a parent, so I needed the money immediately. Everyone has to do what’s in their own best interest.
That's an important point.
Selling isn't automatically better than waiting, and waiting isn't automatically better than selling.
The real question is whether money today or potentially more money over time better fits your individual circumstances and goals.
Use the Money for What Matters Today
Not every athlete who sells an NCAA claim is trying to maximize an investment return.
Sometimes immediate liquidity solves a much more practical problem.
Former UCLA linebacker Kobey Fitzgerald wanted to address existing financial obligations:
I had student loans coming up and credit card debt I needed to take care of. Getting a lump sum now gave me the opportunity to clear those debts instead of waiting years for smaller payments.
For Simi Moala, the motivation was his family:
For me, it was about giving my family a financial jump start. I have two young kids, and having the money now made sense for my situation.
Across our conversations with athletes, we heard a wide range of plans for their proceeds, including:
- Paying down debt
- Building emergency savings
- Investing
- Starting or investing in a business
- Finding housing
- Supporting family
- Covering living expenses
- Creating a financial cushion during career transitions
The common thread wasn't how they spent the money.
It was having the ability to make that decision themselves today.
The Value of Financial Flexibility While You're Young
One theme stood out in several conversations: money can have different value at different stages of your life.
He explained what receiving a lump sum meant to him personally:
Having this lump sum now gives me the flexibility to move how I want to at a young age and better my future.
That doesn't mean everyone should choose money today.
But it highlights something that a simple comparison of settlement amounts can miss.
$1 received today and $1 received years from now don't necessarily provide the same opportunities.
Your decision can include not only how much you receive, but when you receive it and what access to that money could allow you to do.
Is Selling an NCAA Claim Through Xclaim Complicated?
Some athletes told us they were initially concerned that selling their claim might be difficult or take a long time.
Their experience was different.
Former Kansas State quarterback Jesse Ertz said:
The paperwork took me about 10 minutes, and the money was in my account within a day or two. It was incredibly efficient.
Former Oregon State football player Thor Katoa had a similar experience:
I would definitely recommend Xclaim. Everything was upfront, straightforward and to the point, and the entire process took about a week or less.
Timing can vary by transaction, but the goal of the Xclaim process is straightforward: understand your claim, review your offer and transaction documents, decide whether you want to sell, and complete the transaction if you choose to move forward.
“Is Xclaim Legit?” — What Athletes Told Us
It's reasonable to be cautious when you're talking about selling a potentially valuable financial claim.
Several athletes told us they were skeptical before completing their transactions.
Chris Malumba, a former University of Colorado Boulder football player, was one of them:
I was hesitant at first because I didn’t know if I could trust the process. Then a friend successfully sold his claim through Xclaim, and that gave me confidence to do it myself.
Rapuluchi Favor Ayodele Ngorka, a former Grand Canyon University basketball forward, was direct about whether he'd recommend the experience:
I would 100% recommend Xclaim to my teammates who are considering selling their claims.
For athletes evaluating any claim purchaser, it's important to understand the offer, read the transaction documents, ask questions, and make sure you're comfortable before agreeing to sell.
Should I Sell My NCAA Settlement Claim?
The decision ultimately comes down to a tradeoff:
Keep your claim
You retain the right to your future settlement payments, subject to the settlement's terms, timing, and other applicable factors.
Sell your claim
You accept an agreed-upon amount today in exchange for transferring your rights to future payments covered by the sale.
Before deciding, consider questions such as:
- Do I need or want access to this money now?
- What would I use a lump sum for?
- Am I comfortable waiting for future payments?
- How important is certainty to me?
- What percentage of my expected claim value am I being offered?
- Do I understand the transaction documents?
- How would selling affect my taxes or financial plans?
The best decision depends on your claim, your financial circumstances, and your priorities.