Dick Vitale Falls for Fake Braylon Mullins NIL Auction Post

Veteran ESPN analyst duped by viral social media prank targeting UConn fans

Apr. 13, 2026 at 2:41am

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A cubist-style painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and planes in navy blue and white, conceptually representing the fragmented and distorted nature of the Braylon Mullins NIL auction hoax on social media.A deconstructed, cubist interpretation of the viral Braylon Mullins NIL auction hoax, highlighting the fragmented nature of information on social media.Storrs Today

Legendary college basketball analyst Dick Vitale was fooled by a fake social media post claiming UConn star Braylon Mullins was auctioning off his name, image and likeness (NIL) rights. The post, which went viral among Huskies fans, was revealed to be a prank designed to dupe unsuspecting observers like Vitale.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the challenges media personalities face in verifying information, especially when it comes to the rapidly evolving world of NIL deals and college athlete endorsements. It also shows how social media can be weaponized to spread misinformation, even targeting high-profile figures like Vitale.

The details

The fake Braylon Mullins NIL auction post claimed the UConn guard was looking to sell his name, image and likeness rights to the highest bidder. The post included a link to a fictitious auction site and quickly gained traction on social media, with many UConn fans believing it to be real. Veteran ESPN analyst Dick Vitale, known for his encyclopedic knowledge of college basketball, fell for the prank and shared the post with his millions of followers, further amplifying the hoax.

  • The fake Braylon Mullins NIL auction post went viral on social media on April 12, 2026.
  • Dick Vitale shared the post with his followers on Twitter later that same day.

The players

Braylon Mullins

A star guard for the UConn Huskies men's basketball team, known for his heroics in the NCAA Tournament.

Dick Vitale

A legendary college basketball analyst who has worked for ESPN for over 40 years, known for his enthusiastic on-air personality and encyclopedic knowledge of the sport.

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What they’re saying

“Everything I do is satire”

— Braylon Mullins, UConn Basketball Player

What’s next

UConn officials are expected to address the fake NIL auction post and Vitale's sharing of it, likely emphasizing the importance of verifying information before amplifying it on social media.

The takeaway

This incident serves as a cautionary tale about the spread of misinformation on social media, even among respected media personalities. It highlights the need for increased media literacy and fact-checking, especially when it comes to emerging trends like NIL deals in college sports.