🏅 Bronny James enters the Portal

Hey there,

Today’s edition is star-packed. Of course, we’ve got updates on the Bronny James transfer report, but it doesn’t stop there — NIL superstar Paige Buckers is prepping for a money-making matchup with Caitlin Clark too. Oh, and Duke’s freshman sensation is in hot water because of his newest NIL partnership. Grab the popcorn, because the stars are out in today’s edition of NIL Wire! 🍿 

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KICK-OFF

#1 NIL Valuation Bronny James Could Transfer

Bronny James, who holds the highest NIL valuation in all of college sports, looks to be vetting his options in the transfer portal. The USC freshman struggled for the Trojans this year, averaging only 4.8 points across 25 games. 

James will likely be a hot name in the portal despite his lack of on-court production though – a former top-20 recruit in the nation, he’s perhaps a more talented player than his freshman season would lead one to believe. Not to mention, whichever school lands him also lands the media notoriety that comes with his father, LeBron James Sr.

“I don’t know where it came from,” Bronny’s father said when asked about the report his son was looking to transfer, “But at the end of the day, Bronny’s his own man and he’s got some tough decisions to make… As his family we’re going to support whatever he does.” (More)

Paige Bueckers sets up NIL-Superstar Matchup

Caitlin Clark gets tons of press for her NIL brand, and rightfully so. However, UConn’s Paige Bueckers is an NIL superstar in her own right – she entered the 2023-24 basketball season with a $643K valuation, which was the highest in the country at the time outside of Clark, Angel Reese, and Flau’jae Johnson. Now that her Final Four matchup with Clark is set for tomorrow night, she’s primed to cash in even further.

Bueckers was actually the biggest star in college basketball before Caitlin Clark, which elevated her brand to the national level right as NIL was just getting started. She currently has deals in place with companies like Nike, Nerf, Bose, and even the U.S. military’s GoArmy.

The Friday night game between UConn and Iowa will mark yet another NIL-heavy matchup in the women’s tournament, following the massively successful LSU-Iowa game from earlier this week. (More)

Jared McCain signs NIL deal for Nail Polish

Duke’s freshman sensation Jared McCain absolutely balled out in the NCAA tournament, and the NIL deals have come flowing as a result. He just signed a deal with beauty brand Sally Henson to promote nail polish on his social media.

McCain has painted his nails all season as a form of self-expression – a practice that he says stretches back to the Covid-19 pandemic as a way to quit biting his nails. He’s faced criticism throughout his tenure at Duke, but now he’s turning that backlash into NIL dollars.

“I'm sorry if that offends any of you guys," he said on TikTok while promoting the nail polish brand, “I know a lot of people disagree. You don't like it. But I'm just gonna be myself and do what I think looks nice.” (More)

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WHAT’S TRENDING

Ups and Downs

• Jared McCain just soared into the #13 NIL valuation in the country after his scorching hot March Madness performance last weekend. 📈

• Angel Reese sees an almost $100K NIL valuation jump, despite falling to Caitlin Clark’s Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight. She also just declared for the WNBA draft, joining Clark. 📈

• Caitlin Clark may be popular enough to catalyze the women’s trading card market by herself, which would open up an entire sports industry that’s remained untapped. 📈

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Stars Shining Bright for Women’s Basketball

Women are dominating the college basketball landscape right now – particularly at the top of the pyramid. The best players in the country are the ones with the biggest brands, and their Instagram followings reflect it.

Now, this is not to say men are not doing just fine – Bronny James, for example, still holds the highest NIL valuation in all of college sports, as well as the most overall social media followers. Kentucky and Duke’s mens teams are likewise loaded with NIL-relevant players too.

The difference is that those players are generally younger and being paid primarily via collectives, whereas the people topping this list are seasoned veterans whose talent is truly the basis of their brand – as reflected by these explosive follower counts. (More)

• The University of Florida’s parking lot looks like a Dodge dealership thanks to NIL. A local Gainesville car dealership has struck multiple deals with Gator football players, which resulted in a Dodge takeover on campus.

• Hanes underwear is running their “soft touch” NIL campaign throughout March Madness, which saw various players participating in a shooting competition at their respective schools. The company is also sponsoring another contest during the Final Four’s lead-up.

COLLECTIVE 101

Louisville Coach Swiped $15K Donation from Rival

Newly minted Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey first caught fans’ attention when he “eliminated” every blue article of clothing from his wardrobe – a nod to how seriously he takes the school’s rivalry with in-state blue-blood Kentucky. That’s fun and all, but you can only imagine the excitement of Cardinals fans when they heard that their new coach actually nabbed an NIL donation that was bound for their rival.

After being impressed by Kelsey’s opening press conference, an anonymous donor wanted to get to know the new coach. A radio host organized a phone call, and within five minutes, $15K of NIL money was headed to Louisville instead of Lexington. (More)

• Oklahoma State’s NIL collective has officially partnered with Boone Pickens State, an independently run Oklahoma State news site. The Pokes join multiple other collectives utilizing fan-sites as inroads to potential NIL-giving audiences.

• The Grove Collective, Ole Miss’ wildly successful NIL collective, has finally partnered with the NIL Store for school branded merchandise. They join Missouri and LSU as the only SEC schools to partner with the Mark Cuban-backed venture so far.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

DJ Burns

Meet DJ Burns, a standout basketball player whose talent and determination have captured the hearts of Americans. Beginning his college career at Winthrop, DJ quickly made a name for himself, earning the Freshman of the Year award in 2020. Despite flirting with the NBA draft, he opted to return to Winthrop, solidifying his legacy and honing his skills. A transfer to Mary Baldwin University followed, where DJ's dominance on the court earned him the title of Big South Player of the Year. 

However, it was his move to NC State in 2022 that truly propelled him into the spotlight. DJ's electrifying performances for the Wolfpack, including a pivotal win against Duke in the Elite 8, catapulted him to nationwide fame. DJ has become a sought-after brand ambassador, securing impressive NIL deals with companies like CVS, Canes, Adidas Basketball, and TurboTax. 

NIL BLITZ

♦️ Indiana State’s Robbie Avila inked an eyewear NIL deal for his glasses

♦️ NC State’s Spring football game will be sponsored by the school’s NIL collective

♦️ UConn head coach says Caitlin Clark is the best player ever, even over his own Paige Bueckers

♦️ Former NBA players confirm NIL ended the G League Ignite program

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

What percentage of schools/school collectives do you think engages in NIL tampering?

• 10 percent of schools - 8%

• 25 percent of schools - 18%

• 50 percent of schools - 17%

• 75 percent of schools - 28%

• 90 percent of schools - 17%

• 100 percent of schools - 12%