In July 2021, the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules and laws paved the way for college athletes to make money for the first time. It didn’t take long for them and the brands to invest.
However, the past year has also shown rapid changes in the NIL market. Yes, big names remain the most marketable in both men’s and women’s basketball.
What do you mean? Athletes with millions of followers are still getting paid. But thanks to elite basketball skills, a sizeable social media following, partnerships with programs or markets with strong economic engines, and their future potential, the rest of the field will also benefit. The top college basketball athletes were also the most successful in the postseason. The ability to lead a team to a national title makes sense. NIL is still relatively new. In other words, definitive indicators of marketability are still being developed. However, all players on the 2022-2023 list are either attracting the attention of major brands or have relationships with agents and companies, suggesting a bright future for NIL. Our information, gathered from a variety of sources, including social media metrics, underpins each player’s respective position on the list.
Important Note: Not Displayed Paige Bookers, last year’s most marketable athlete, in this edition due to the unfortunate season-ending knee injury she suffered this summer. is an athlete with Just ask Crocs and Gatorade. Both are former Wood Award winners and major sponsors at UConn Junior.
The most dominant force in women’s college basketball (16.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG in 2021-22) has won NIL deals from major brands Bose, Crocs, Under Armor and Bojangles over the past year, some of which was even before she headed Gamecocks. To the 2022 National Championships. Boston, who has 107,000 followers on Instagram, is currently represented by Klutch Sports, the same group that represents LeBron James, and will only boost her brand during the 2022-23 season.
Before moving to Miami, the Cabinder twins were averaging 34 PPG at Fresno State. This year, they’ve gained over 5 million followers on social media and made over $1 million in his NIL deals (Champs Sports, WWE, Boost Mobile, Baseline his team, their own apparel deals). including).Brand — to NIL-friendly South Beach Campus.
Yes, the extant men’s college basketball wooden award winner is back for another season to chase the championship with the Wildcats. It reached nearly $3 million in total. That’s more money than a prospective second-round pick as an NBA rookie would have earned.
I grew up collecting trading cards… Now Topps and I are officially partnering to create our own 🙂 Couldn’t be more grateful and excited 🤍 https://t.co/TNb5tFo7n0
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) July 26, 2022
This year’s Big Ten women’s basketball players are automatic buckets everywhere on the floor, and that’s why they’re garnering accolades from the likes of Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Junior currently does business with tax preparation firm H&R Block, trading card company Topps, and her chain of supermarkets Hy-Vee, all reporting her seven-figure income from her NIL.
After averaging 14.4 PPG and helping her team reach the Final Four last year, Van Ris’ brand (she has more than 800,000 followers on social media) continues to grow. She signed deals with Dick’s Sports Goods, JCPenney, and Adidas last month, and last month announced that she is one of just 15 college student athletes signed by the sportswear giant.
The son of Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal and entertainment mogul Shawnee Henderson, he knows a lot about fame and marketing. His social media followers of more than 4.5 million have helped the redshirt freshman land a lucrative deal with British apparel company boohooMAN and partner with the popular video game Fortnite.
A five-star prospect with 562,000 Instagram followers, Bailey seems to have it all as a marketable athlete. He’s cool with Drake, who briefly dated Bronnie’s James teammate in high school and his mother, who is a model and social media influencer for him. Johanna Leia. Last year, Bailey bought his mother a Porsche with his NIL cash received as a prep star. He plans to earn even more with his UCLA.
Fudd, who averaged 12.1 PPG in the 2021-22 season, should play a bigger role for the Huskies with Bookers out this season. Last year, the freshman signed his NIL contract with BioSteel, Chipotle, the American Eagle, and his SC30 Inc. of NBA star Stephen Curry. That trend should only continue in his second year campaign for the young star, who has 217,000 of his Instagram followers.
Her TikTok about the weight room differences for the 2021 Men’s and Women’s NCAA Tournaments has made her go viral with the help of over 3.5 million followers on social media. Today, Prince is one of the faces of women’s basketball and her NIL, with appearances in WNBA and college basketball events, a deal with Crocs, and a capital tie-up with Riff Energy+, the beverage company she represents as chief. Proven by a portfolio that includes: Community Officer. According to Opendorse, she also charges a minimum of $5,000 for her appearance.
The Wooden Award nominee is back in college basketball after testing the waters of the NBA Draft and is poised to lead Gonzaga to his first national title after averaging 18.4 PPG and 6.8 RPG last season. and personality have helped him win regional deals, including local casinos, as well as deals with domestic brands such as Topps. Expect more as the season begins.
Anyone can make their dreams come true #NBA2K22I am so excited to be a part of this legacy.happy #2K days
For more information, please check @NBA2K on youtubehttps://t.co/9I9SUnHZHV pic.twitter.com/tPYEGOniaV— Haley Jones (@haleyjoness19) September 11, 2021
In a recent interview, Jones said she started out not only as a student-athlete, but also as a business woman. The Pac-12 Female Player of the Year already has both the NBA2K video game and Beats by Dre headphones.
Bates, who charges over $1,000 for a signing, was initially with Michigan State University in high school, but signed with Memphis before entering the transfer portal after a tumultuous freshman campaign, according to Opendorse. He finally landed at Eastern Michigan, his conference school in Mid-American where he won just 10 wins in 2021-22. Although he’s lost the shine he earned as a top prep star, he still has 428,000 Instagram followers and a chance to change the story with a small spotlight closer to his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan.
The All-ACC First Team named junior after averaging 16.5 PPG in the 2021-22 season will return to the Tar Heels squad determined to break through the Sweet 16 this season. At just 20 years old, Kelly is also the proud owner of a BMW SUV. This SUV he bought over the past year with money he made from his NIL deals with brands like Essentia Water and Beats by Dre.
Being a leader in a school like 2021 All-American NC State is rewarding. Bacot’s mother told Sports Illustrated in June that he recorded six double-doubles in one tournament last season, making him the first player in NCAA Tournament history to enter the senior 2022-23 season. said he would make over $500,000 on his NIL deal. For an appearance fee of over $2,500 and an autograph, according to Opendorse.
15. Derek Lively and Darik Whitehead, Duke Blue Devils
The number one and number two men’s college basketball recruits, respectively, have already hired representatives for their NIL contracts before playing their first college game. As general manager overseeing his projected 2023 NBA Draft lottery pick and his two young faces in college basketball’s most powerful brand – NIL, previously he worked for the NBA and Nike. The school recently hired Rachel Baker, who had had an opportunity.
According to ESPN, the top available transfer this offseason is Reese (17.8 PPG, 10.6 RPG last season in Maryland), joining three other transfers for Kim Mulkey’s second LSU team. . She already has deals with her Wingstop, Amazon, Xfinity, and even has her own personal clothing line available online.
17. Gia CookSouth Carolina Gamecocks
With the help of over 200,000 Instagram followers, the all-SEC second-team player has one of the most diverse NIL portfolios in college basketball. She recently dropped a new song via NFT ($19.99). She does business with her Bojangles, Dick’s Sporting Goods and even the US government. She and Kaitlyn Clarke are the faces of her $1 million dollar ‘A Fair Shot’ initiative at H&R Block.
The quinnary of cult basketball team leader Jelly Fam, who had a PPG of 13.8 last season, charges a minimum of $80 for personalized messages on Cameo. The senior security officer, who has more than 400,000 followers on Instagram, has taken advantage of the crew member’s name and released his own brand of grape jelly, along with his own line of apparel.
The son of rapper Master P, who is followed on Instagram by Bronnie James, Paige Backers and other young basketball talents, has been hanging out with rapper Jack Harlow and taking selfies at his mansion this summer. He reportedly signed a $2 million NIL deal with the tech company last year, and a move to the Louisville brand will only boost his sophomore money-making opportunities.
He immediately signed with NIL collective Carolina Rise in South Carolina after leaving North Carolina over the summer. Jackson could be the most important recruit in the history of South Carolina men’s basketball, and the fanbase wanting to win big will give the five-star freshman a big NIL opportunity for his decision. . university decision.
Since leading St. Peters to a first-round upset win over Kentucky in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Eddard and his famous mustache have amassed nearly 160,000 Instagram followers. Signing a senior point guard who quickly transferred to Bryant during the tournament, additional deals followed, including a merchandising partnership with Campus, Inc.
Dickinson told reporters this summer that his decision to withdraw from the 2022 NBA Draft and return to Michigan for a third year included the potential for the NIL and the opportunity to “don’t have to worry about money.” The 7-foot-1 center, who averaged 18.6 PPG and 8.6 RPG last season and was a two-time All-Big Ten, already signed a majors deal with Outback Steakhouse.
The McDonald’s All-American became the first Kansas player to sign with a major management company (WME) before entering college. His nearly 150,000 followers on social media should only increase when he finally takes the court of the incumbent Men’s National his champion in Lawrence.
Across TikTok and Instagram, Baylor Guard boasts over 400,000 followers. Not only does she have deals with major brands such as her Reebok, she is also an advocate for her NIL deal, which is fair across gender and race.
The Big 12 freshman rose to prominence last season when she led the Longhorns to the Big 12 Tournament Championship. She signed with her WME and just a year on campus she signed with Wingstop.
