NIL: Queens of basketball
The GIST: Once again, women’s basketball (WBB) is taking the NIL cake. Women earned six of the top 10 spots on ESPN’s most marketable college hoopers list yesterday, with the rankings based on social media following, brand and market affiliations and on-court ability.
The MVP: South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston tops the list after inking deals with the likes of Under Armour, NIL staple Crocs and Bose in the first year of NIL, as well as winning the 2022 NCAA championship.
- Last season’s top player is poised to capitalize on these opportunities. Boston is now repped by Klutch Sports Group, the agency that represents LeBron James. In good company.
The best of the rest: Miami’s Hanna and Haley Cavinder jointly rank second thanks to their unique sister act. The twins, who have shared social accounts, boast more than five million cumulative followers and have reportedly notched over $1 million in NIL deals with companies including Champs Sports and WWE.
- There’s another elite content creator in the top 10. Oregon’s Sedona Prince is ninth thanks to a steady following that she’s cultivated since exposing the NCAA’s sexism in a 2021 TikTok. She now charges a minimum of $5K per engagement.
The bottom line: WBB remains an NIL powerhouse due to its dynamic athletes. The ’ballers are proving there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to NIL — Boston’s success comes from her on-court performance, while the Cavinders and Prince can thank their content and community-building abilities. The gals are having their cake and eating it too.
