ESPN's Dick Vitale falls for fake Braylon Mullins NIL auction post

The viral social media post duped the college basketball analyst, highlighting the challenges of verifying information online.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 1:38am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a college basketball game, with sharp planes of navy, green, and orange overlapping to create a sense of motion and disorientation, reflecting the chaotic nature of NIL deals and social media misinformation in college sports.A cubist interpretation of the chaos and misinformation surrounding college athlete NIL deals in the modern era.Storrs Today

A fake social media post about UConn basketball player Braylon Mullins auctioning off his name, image and likeness (NIL) rights went viral, duping ESPN analyst Dick Vitale into believing it was real. The original account that posted the false information describes itself as posting 'satire', but Vitale did not catch that detail before weighing in on the 'chaos' of the modern NIL landscape in college sports.

Why it matters

This incident underscores the difficulties of navigating the new reality of NIL deals and the spread of misinformation on social media, even among prominent media figures. As college athletes increasingly leverage their personal brands, verifying the authenticity of reports has become more challenging for fans and analysts alike.

The details

The fake post claimed that Mullins, a UConn basketball player who was a hero in the NCAA Tournament, was auctioning off his NIL rights. ESPN's Dick Vitale saw the post and tweeted about the 'chaos' in college sports, unaware that the original account was known for posting satirical content.

  • The fake post went viral on April 13, 2026.

The players

Braylon Mullins

A UConn basketball player who was a hero in the NCAA Tournament.

Dick Vitale

An ESPN college basketball analyst.

Shane Tuttle

The owner of the social media account that posted the fake Braylon Mullins NIL auction, which describes itself as posting 'satire'.

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What they’re saying

“This is college - sickening @NCAA must do something about the CHAOS GOING ON - how in the world can they write all about student - athletes in their NCAA manual - that is JOKE - put some rules together to end this wild Wild West”

— Dick Vitale, ESPN College Basketball Analyst

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of verifying information in the age of social media, where misinformation can spread rapidly and even catch experienced media figures off guard. As the landscape of college sports continues to evolve with NIL deals, both fans and analysts will need to be increasingly vigilant about fact-checking reports to avoid being misled by false or satirical content.