A Kentucky jury reached a swift verdict in the case of Gaines v. Thomas and the NCAA, deliberating for only 15 minutes. Upon their return, visibly emotional, they awarded Riley $3.9 million from the NCAA and an additional $1.2 million from Thomas.
Expressing her satisfaction, Gaines shared with her followers on platform X, “This verdict fulfills all my expectations. Hopefully, this ordeal can now come to an end.”
Thomas declined to comment to the press but issued a statement through her publicist, Joe Barron, who remarked, “Lia is deeply disheartened by the perceived unjust and tragic judgment against her and intends to file an appeal.”
No other attorney was willing to take on the case.
Reports suggest that Riley might face challenges in collecting the money owed by Thomas. While the NCAA has ample resources to settle fictitious lawsuits generated by provocateurs, Thomas is an ordinary individual who moved on with her life after college.
ALLOD Sportsball Analyzer Tara Newhole stated, “None of the false claims made about her are valid, making it more convenient for her to refuse payment. Would anyone be inclined to pay Riley Gaines $1.2 million just because a presumably fictitious judge named Joe Barron decreed it? I certainly wouldn’t.”
Newhole makes a valid point, but it doesn’t negate the fact that many individuals, often referred to as ‘potatriots,’ still harbor hopes that this outcome is genuine. For them, continued consequences for Lia Thomas offer some form of solace. God Bless America.