If four years of NIL has taught us anything, it’s that big moments can mean big money for athletes. As college basketball players get ready for their season to begin, there are some additional lessons they can learn from their college-football counterparts.
Winning Drives Sales
One of the most consistent themes in NIL is that team success fuels individual opportunities. The NIL Store says that USF was its top-selling school after its big Week 1 win against the Florida Gators. Undefeated seasons or upset victories can ignite fan enthusiasm that translates directly into NIL dollars.
For basketball players, this means timing is everything. A big win over a ranked opponent or a buzzer-beater on national television can create a surge in demand. That might seem obvious, but you can’t capitalize on those wins if you don’t already have the right pieces in place.
For an athlete to attract brands after those victories, they need to already have an established social-media presence. Ideally, they’re already posting regularly and featuring some interests off the court, like fashion or food. That allows brands to easily see which athletes are a good fit.
Merchandise, however, is where players need to be laying the groundwork. Athletes can’t wait until after a win to start looking into branded T-shirts and other merch. Instead, they need to already be set up with a company like NIL Store or have their own storefront on their personal website, prepared to take advantage of a sudden surge in demand when they hit that big shot.
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Big Moments Create Big Products
Having a headstart on merch is even more important if you’re an athlete who played an important role in the win or had a game-defining moment.
NIL Store says USF kicker Nico Gramatica, who made the game-winning kick against Florida, had the No. 1 selling product that weekend with his “Automatica” shirt. He wouldn’t have been able to seize that moment if he hadn’t already been set up with a company to market the merchandise quickly after his instant-classic kick.
If athletes are creating their own merchandise, they can focus on big wins, key plays, a catchphrase from a postgame interview, or even a design tied to a signature move.
For example, Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos already had T-shirts and sweatshirts available on his website featuring quotes from a press conference that went viral before the season. He dropped the price on some of those shirts to $31.17 after the win to match the 31-17 final score.
His agent, Joe Hernandez, said Castellanos had more than 40,000 site views following the big win. “It’s great to see players monetizing their NIL and connecting with fans in unique ways through merchandise,” Hernandez said. “Having their own websites gives fans the opportunity to support their favorite players — especially after big moments on the field.”
Fans love instant storytelling, and NIL rewards those who can move quickly.
The Face of the Team Rules — But Freshmen Can Break Through
Unsurprisingly, most of the top-selling football players at NIL Store after the first week of the season were quarterbacks (in bold):
- Devon Dampier (Utah)
- Luke Altmyer (Illinois)
- Myles Johnson (Florida)
- Byrum Brown (USF)
- Jake Retzlaff (Tulane)
- Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State)
- Tommy Castellanos (Florida State)
The pattern reinforces that leadership roles and high visibility drive NIL. For basketball, point guards and wing scorers often play this same role. The players who handle the ball most and deliver under pressure tend to see the greatest opportunities.
But there’s also room for other players. NIL Store noted Myles Johnson, a freshman at Florida, made the list despite his team not being undefeated. His rise may be fueled by family and local community support.
For basketball, that suggests even non-star players can build NIL value if they harness hometown pride and community networks.
The Takeaways for Basketball Players
Team success fuels personal success. When the team wins, NIL opportunities will multiply for athletes who played a role in that win. So, athletes should focus first and foremost on their efforts on the court.
When big wins or key moments do happen though, athletes have to be ready to capitalize on it. Stars and role players need to build their brands before the season starts, and fans need to know where to find their merch the moment a big play happens.
With college basketball season right around the corner, now is the time for players to build a foundation so they’re ready when the fans finish storming the court and turn their collective attention to the online merch stand.
