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Report: Saban turned away 2 players over big NIL money requests

Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport / Getty

While speaking at the 18th annual Alabama Football Coaches Association (ALFCA) convention in Montgomery on Thursday night, Alabama head coach Nick Saban revealed that he rejected two players after their name, image, and likeness requests turned out to be too expensive for his taste.

Baker High School (Mobile) coach Steve Normand, who attended the convention, told Glenn Guilbeau of OutKick what Saban said.

"Someone with one of the best corners in the nation (in high school) came to me and asked if we'd pay them $800,000 for the player to sign here. I told him he can find another place to play," Saban said, per Normand. "I'm not paying a kid a bunch of NIL money before he earns it."

Additionally, ALFCA president Terry Curtis told Guilbeau that Saban shared a request he received from a former Alabama player who was lost to the transfer portal.

"We lost 10 players and one starter to the portal this year," Saban said, per Curtis. "One of them wanted $500,000 and for us to get his girlfriend into law school at Alabama and pay for it. I showed him the door."

Normand and Curtis said Saban didn't mention names or schools.

Saban has been critical of NIL deals before but also expressed support for players being able to profit off their names.

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