Xavier Lucas' attorney, Darren Heitner, told On3 in an article published Saturday that allegations by Wisconsin that his client met with a Miami coach and prominent alums in December are false. Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against Miami on Friday alleging the Hurricanes of tampering.
Lucas dropped out of Wisconsin in December and enrolled at Miami in January after the Badgers refused to release him from his scholarship. Wisconsin refused to release Lucas from his scholarship after he signed a name, image and likeness deal in December.
When Lucas asked for his name to be entered into the transfer portal in December, Wisconsin refused, citing the NIL deal as the reason why. Heitner stated in January that Wisconsin treated the NIL deal with Wisconsin as an employment contract when athletes cannot be considered employees.
Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports quoted from the Wisconsin lawsuit in an article published on Friday that stated, "Miami interfered with UW-Madison’s relationship with Student-Athlete A (Lucas) by making impermissible contact with him and engaging in tampering.”
"Wisconsin’s allegations that my client, Xavier Lucas, met with a Miami coach and prominent alumnus in December 2024 are false."Darren Heitner, Xavier Lucas' attorney
Great thread that explains why the Wisconsin suit is so silly. There are no damages- is Wisconsin going to argue they were deprived of the right to use Lucas’s “name, image and likeness?” They will be forced to admit what everyone already knows- this is all about pay for play. https://t.co/O1p1LBb7tW
— CanesInSight (@CanesInSight) June 20, 2025
Heitner posted in January, "Wisconsin violated NCAA Bylaw 13.1.1.3.1, which required Wisconsin to enter Xavier Lucas' information into the national transfer database within 2 business days. The NCAA now must punish Wisconsin for its blatant violation of the Bylaws."
The consensus has been the lawsuit filed by Wisconsin against Miami could set a precedent. Dellenger stated, "Wisconsin is seeking unspecified financial damages." Wisconsin will have to prove Lucas met with the Miami coach and alumnus and that the meeting occurred while he was still at Wisconsin.
The other subject that could occur in the lawsuit is if college athletes are employees. Wisconsin likely strategically did not include Lucas in the lawsuit filed against Miami. Multiple reports state there is no timeline when the Wisconsin lawsuit against Miami could go to trial without a settlement out of court.