Black Market: An Insider's Journey into the High-Stakes World of College Basketball

by Merl Code

From a former college basketball player and Executive at Nike, a "riveting" ( Sports Illustrated ) insider's account into the business of college basketball exposes the corrupt and racist systems that exploit young athletes and offers a new way forward

For Merl Code, basketball was life.

In college he played point guard for Clemson before turning pro. Later, when he pivoted to marketing, he found himself thrust into a startling world of profit-driven college basketball programs. He realized that the NCAA's amateurism rules could be used to exploit young athletes, and athletes of color in particular.

Now, for the first time, Code will share his side of the explosive story of college basketball's dark reality—a system that begins with young talent in AAU programs and culminates at the highest levels of the NBA.

Propulsive, urgent, and eye-opening, Black Market exposes the truth to offer a more just way forward for both colleges and athletes.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Basketball, Memoir

288 pages, Hardcover

Published March 1, 2022

Reviews

[Katy O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely riveting. I read it in less than 24 hours and marked so so many parts to share with my high school Sports & Entertainment Marketing students. Can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone interested in college sports or the high stakes world of sponsorships in general.

[Hillary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty detailed review of the recruiting processes common in college basketball, and of the role that athletic wear companies play in it. It touches on the recent fbi investigation and on the role racism plays in college sports. This is definitely a must read for college sports fans.

[Zixuan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely a very insightful and interesting read. My only reservation is that a lot of the story is also just Merl Code providing his own experiences in college basketball and all of the NBA stars that he had interacted with throughout this career - I think this is helpful in establishing the credibility of this voice, but also makes his narrative very difficult to follow.

Overall rating 2.5 / 5 Stars

[Paige Fallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really eye opening - never knew that much about the basketball world, both NCAA and NBA! Learned a lot from this book

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The “little guy” gets busted while the universities and shoe companies come out unscathed and continue the corruption. Reminded me a little bit of the Varsity Blues case again the Stanford sailing coach.

[Stuart Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS is the story of how college basketball actually works. There shouldn't even be a passing nod at the notion of amateurism in college athletics. And how did it take so long to recognize the sheer magnitude of how much money kids in football and basketball are making for the schools they attend while they get "an education" in return? NIL is a first step but damn, there is a long, long way to go towards correcting an imbalance that has existed for decades.

And Mr. Code's job was to maybe redress some of that imbalance along the way until the FBI said, "No, we insist you get coaches to take piddly amounts of cash." Then "Whoa, we've got you now. Paying bribes." What a crappy system and another episode of why it is so hard to trust government institutions.

[Ken · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author gives us an insider's account of the pay-for-play system prevalent at the elite level of black basketball players funded by the sneaker companies, that's why I chose the book. Written just as "Name Image & Likeness" was introduced, the author failed to explore the impact of NIL on the future of college sports. It seems to me the shoe companies' treasure will simply switch from under the table to above board and players will finally participate, as they should, in the deluge of money flowing to college sports. The author also makes it perfectly clear why the competitive deck is stacked to favor the major programs like Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina, et.al.

[Ian Kloester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merl Code lifts the lid on the way shoe companies are acting as the bag men for USA colleges and the potential star basketballers that they all want to recruit. He argues convincingly that the NCAA rules have always been broken and the whole student athlete branding is just that - branding and exploitative of the kids and their families. Neither party comes out as clean skins. Merl argues he was trapped, denied a fair trial, and ultimately served time in prison for just doing his job. He feels he is a scapegoat and it’s pretty easy to understand why if you stand in his shoes. He also reveals he has just shown us the tip of the ice berg of what’s going on and who is really involved. My experience in junior and semi pro basketball had already raised red flags about the whole USA college system but I’ve never seen it laid out and exposed so clearly as this. If you’ve ever dreamt of this college experience for yourself or your child or your protege, read this book. It will be either a handbook or a warning because it seems the more things change the more they stay the same. Your choice.

[Kalle Wescott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read /Black Market: An Insider's Journey into the High-Stakes World of College Basketball/, by Merl Code:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/202...

Interesting insights in to top basketball players, the top shoe and equipment brands e.g. Nike, adidas, Under Armour, and Puma, and how the business side of the game is played from high school through college and then the pros.

[Joyce Qallison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely watch or follow college basketball. I applauded the movement to allow college basketball athletes to profit during their college years.

This book, really written for people who enjoy basketball, is a true eye opener. Why can colleges earn so much money while the majority of the players come from the streets? (please, i am not trying to be offensive.) These players endure training and game schedules that frequently do not allow them to get a college education? Just my opinions from a non basketball fan.

[Jessica Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this in a couple of days. It was a smooth read, humorous at times, insightful and jaw-dropping in others. I knew there were things happening behind-the-scenes of college basketball (or athletics in general) that weren't exactly commendable but, if THIS is how it really is, consider my mind blown. I just hate the author had to be penalized while others deserving of scorn remain untouched.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

While may of us are entertained by college sports, and especially March Madness, this is a big business. So much money is made in this industry while some students don’t have enough money to eat. While others are making millions of dollars, though they shouldn’t be. That isn’t new information but this perspective from Merl Code is eye-opening: a former college and professional athlete who worked for Nike then Adidas and was charged with crimes related to payments to players and their families.

[Darel Krieger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read about the seedy side of NCAA basketball. The author was well informed and told a story that everyone suspects but no one ever talks about. It does appear he is going to go to prison along with a few other mid to low level players in this operation while the big guns go on about their business. Just the wat things usually happen in situations like this.

[Brendan Crowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to disagree with anything Code says. College sport in the USA is a ridiculous corrupt sham and Code a token 'bad guy' to make rich people feel the game is being cleaned up.

[Bill F.W. McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating recounting with plenty of stories by Merl Code Jr of the millions and billions of dollars that exchanges hands as primarily young Black men, talented in basketball, are groomed by the major apparel companies (Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, etc.) from their grassroots/AAU organizations to land in favorable college programs en route to possible NBA careers. “Indentured servitude” is labeling this system kindly. Corporate executives, university administrators, NCAA directors, college coaches, and sports media companies all profit highly from these young and talented athletes. I for one am glad that the NIL system (moving beyond formal scholarships to actually pay college athletes for their “name, image, and likeness”) now exists in the NCAA.

I would rate this book four to five stars just for the juicy knowledge Merl reveals. Unfortunately, Merl’s writing leaves a LOT to be desired. For example, this passage from pages 237/238: “… but Carlton and I sat down and tried to come up with creative ways to at least get Keith to think about staying with us. [Next Paragraph] Team Takeover had been getting about $85,000 a year from us and I knew that getting that number even higher was going to be difficult. But we came up with some creative ways for Keith to pocket some serious cash.” At times you wonder if there was even one single editor tasked with reviewing Merl’s writing, almost like it went immediately from draft to press. Merl follows the basic timeline of his playing and professional career, but he also jumps around with so many anecdotes or memories that it’s hard to keep track.

Worth a read if you’re a serious sports fan. But reader beware that you’re going to struggle with the language and the flow of the story.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fascinating. I know nothing about college sports or sports in general. I love watching sports (we’re a football family), but I couldn’t tell you what is happening (I’m trying to learn). This was written as NIL was coming onto the scene. Merl Code shares a lot of how the behind the scenes worked pre-NIL. I would be curious to know if anything has changed (probably not) dramatically with NIL existing now. I think it’s pretty wild they didn’t allow any of those texts or calls as evidence for his trial. The justice system is definitely not perfect.

The story does jump around a lot. Lots of name dropping (that went over my head because I know nothing of basketball). But his writing kept me really engaged and I didn’t want to put the book down.

[TraceyL · Rating 3 out of 5]

The shady world of "amateur" college basketball. The author makes it very clear that he is very angry that he was arrested for giving an accepting bribes. He explains how recruiters and sponsors work in this world, and how everyone was doing the same things, but only he was punished for it. He's adamant that he didn't break any laws, he just worked around the rules.

I did learn a lot but do feel like people who are really into basketball and who already know how it works behind the scenes would get more out of it.

[Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insider’s look at the seamier side of recruiting in basketball. Everyone is trying to make a buck on the back of young Black athletes, particularly the parents. None of this was particularly surprising to me, but Code seems to think that he was simply part of the system and he was just trying to help people. There is something to that, but the book comes off as a plea to maintain his own innocence rather than a critical look at the system. All in all, I am glad I moved away from college basketball a few years ago.

[Sean McGinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a former college coach, this book sums up how athletic apparel companies are the driving force in today's day and age about signing athletes at a young age. Stardom is one thing but the journey to become a pro is something young athletes are not able to fully appreciate when showered with money, gear, and endless fame. This book depicts how this trend is something that will never change in college athletics.

[Matthew Aujla]

Where is the vertically integrated talent identification, development & monetization agency (or cartel) that captures the $1B March Madness TV contract with its own entertainment/gambling tournament, the Nike/Adidas/UnderArmour shoe money with its own fashion/shoe brands, and 80% (instead of 50%) of the NBA money through its stronger collective bargaining position?

[Jaime Perez · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Disgrace

A poorly written book, by someone with an ax to grind, who is not innocent at all, that nevertheless reveals a lot of what’s behind the giant hypocrisy of “amateur college sports” in the U.S.
It’s a corrupt business where the main culprits are the universities, their athletic departments and coaches, and the sports apparel companies.

[Joe J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written book about the true dark side of college basketball and college sports in general. Merl takes us behind the scenes of the world he lived in as a sneaker rep for much of his adult life and even what it was like to be a recruited college basketball player. Definitely read if you have an interest in college athletics.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not sure I could have liked it less. I thought I would be reading a good analysis of the system with a critical race lens. Instead, I was bored by the autobiography of an insider with substandard writing skills and an axe to grind. Admittedly, I'm not a basketball person but the name dropping also felt really excessive.

[Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this read as I love the insider look at basketball. I also realized that Merl may have a bone to pick, he did expose what a crock his arrest was. I've really never understood the whole scandal as it did absolute nothing and changed nothing in NCAA except move NIL ideas up a little earlier.

[Joseph Reto · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a former collegiate athlete I understand better how my performance made money for the institution I attended. Merl Code’s unadulterated version of the insane money associated with college basketball is a must read! Sneaker companies are sending apparel to a boy who doesn’t graduate HS until 2029! Rampant corruption and manipulation!

[Bobby Swindle · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some good points in this book. There is a lot of corruption in college, sports and academics! The author played the victim the entire book. He is part of the problem that is going on with college basketball because he worked for Nike and Adidas. He along with the NCAA, head coaches, assistant coaches, agents, AAU programs to the shoe companies!

[Michael Haddis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! As a college sports fan, I’ve always wondered what goes on behind the scenes when players are being recruited. This book gives a first person account of all that goes on during college recruitment from the middle man perspective, and it was so illuminating to hear the authors perspective on being so closely involved in the whole process. Would highly recommended!

[Bill Hyman · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I am certain the author was a small cog in a big wheel of CBB corruption, it quickly tires of him presenting himself as the only ‘good’ guy in this corrupt business. Claiming to always have the players interest as foremost is a laugher. And don’t forget he’s the one who served time. He’s bitter and trying to capitalize on his bad actions.

[J Kir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down book. If you love basketball you will love all the stories. Frustrating he had to take the axe and not the head coaches who buy championships like Rick Petino bill self and others.

[Ellison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author shares his story of playing basketball and the meanness of coaches. He eventually goes into the shoe biz, hooking up athletes in need of various forms of support, insightful, name dropper, then the Feds show up at his crib and accuse him of money launder. Swearing. No pix, no index.