“It is shallow and short lived”: UCLA HC Cori Close admits being “humble and grateful” for her basketball journey with reality check

After a career arc that has spanned from the UCSB Gauchos, UCLA women's hoops head coach Cori Close has seen all sides of college basketball. Close spent decades as an assistant coach before taking the UCLA job in 2011, and has worked her way to the top of the sport, winning several national coaching honors after taking the Bruins to the FInal Four in 2025.

But in a recent appearance on the show "Good Follow," Close was honest about the experiences of success and the life lessons she has learned.

NIL wedge dividing threates experience of Final Four run for Close

"You listed all the special things that happened this year on the basketball court. That journey, I am, of course, incredibly humbled and very grateful.... But what it really taught me is that it is shallow and short-lived. Because what ended up happening in the middle of our NCAA Tournament run, we are literally on the way to the Final Four and I am having meetings with families about the next year's NIL package-- which we had to do during that time, because if the rev[enue] share [settlement] passed... we had to have these contracts in place. So here we are in the midst of all of this, and I realized as soon as we are done with the first Final Four... of my 13 conversations with families, I would say 11 of them were probably disappointed.... Comparison is truly the thief of all joy." -- Cori Close

Indeed, the pending House settlement, which as Close ultimately noted, has still not been finalized, placed a ticking clock on any completed NIL deals ahead of potential Court ramifications to future NIL contracts.

NIL offseason battles for Close

Additionally, there is no doubt that NIL decisions have impacted the very nature of coaching college athletics. Off the first Final Four in program history, Close saw her entire freshman class enter the transfer portal. UCLA ultimately lost starting forward Londynn Jones to the portal, as well as Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year Janiah Barker.

Still, Close hasn't exactly allowed the NIL issues to swamp her season. Late in the portal process, UCLA signed Utah guard Gianna Kneepkens, who was one of the most sought-after players in the portal for her pure perimeter shot. Close, whose background in coaching was at the offensive end, will follow the disappointments of NIL time with a team that's capable of another Final Four run in 2026.

What do you think of Close's NIL revelations? Share your take on the UCLA coach and the nature of women's hoops below in our comments section!