By Thomas Burkel
Whenever you watch sports, especially college sports, you may see athletes repping a certain brand. Whether that is an athlete sporting a new Nike basketball sneaker, drinking Gatorade after a game, or wearing their fresh Beats during pre-game, athletes are always promoting a brand. But why? And how did this happen?
With the rise of name, image, and likeness (NIL), athletes can profit from their name and image. Stemming back to July 2021, athletes can now make agreements with brands, companies, or individuals to monetize off of their name (NCSA 2024). This was not the case previously, as athletes didn’t have the opportunity to profit off of their name, and were stuck under university control. With this opportunity to profit, athletes are taking full control of this opportunity. Athletes, who were once seen as benchwarmers are now seen as stars off the field. NIL has changed the entire landscape of college sports, and it is only going to go up from here.
So why am I writing an article about NIL, and how does it relate to women’s college basketball? Well, women’s college basketball is influential when it comes to NIL. Women college athletes are able to show their interests, what they like to wear, and show their personality beyond the court with their NIL deals. In this read I will dive deep into who is making a name for themselves when it comes to NIL, and ultimately what it means for the future of sports communications.
Flau’jae Johnson
Flau’jae Johnson is more than just a guard for the LSU Tigers, she is a changemaker in the NIL space. Throughout her collegiate career, she has inked over 40 NIL deals. These brands include: JBL, Powerade, Samsung, and Experian (Meaney 2025). Helping lead the Tigers to a championship in 2023, Johnson is using her power on the court to lead her to deals off of it. Her large social media presence also helps her connect with her target audience, which is young female athletes. With over 2 million followers on Instagram, Johnson can show the world her personality and love for basketball. This helps brands find connections with her, and she is then able to profit off of her brand.
MiLaysia Fulwiley
The Newest LSU Tigers guard is also making a splash when it comes to the NIL landscape. MiLaysia Fulwiley has been a dominant playmaker on the court. From being a 4x State Champion to winning a National Championship with South Carolina in 2024, Fulwiley has been able to showcase her ball knowledge on the court. However, she has inked her expertise off the court as well. Fulwiley became the first ever college athlete to sign with the Curry Brand, which is owned by NBA superstar Steph Curry (Under Armor 2024). Fulwiley uses her social platforms to showcase her connection with other brands. With 243k followers on Instagram and over 13k followers on X, Fulwiley can show basketball fans her passions outside of basketball.
Both Johnson and Fulwiley have used their social presence and dominant play to market their brand. Knowing their target audience, understanding what content to post, and partnering with brands that align with their passions enables these athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness. This is a recipe for success that should be used in all sports. College basketball isn’t about how many points you put up, or how many rebounds you receive. It’s about how influential you are to your audience. Understanding your audience, being consistent, and being yourself are all attributes that consumers will flock towards. This is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to capitalizing off of your name, but it is an influential piece that can turn players into influencers.
Sources:
Meaney, M. (2025, April 24). How college basketball star Flau’jae Johnson scored more than 40 NIL deals and is putting her money to work for her. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-flaujae-johnson-turns-nil-brand-deals-into-financial-empowerment-2025-4
NCSA College Recruiting. (2024, December 6). What is NIL? NCAA name, image, likeness rule explained. NCSA Sports. https://www.ncsasports.org/name-image-likeness
Under Armour. (2024, March 15). MiLaysia Fulwiley signs with Curry Brand. https://about.underarmour.com/en-us/stories/2024/03/milaysia-fulwiley-signs-with-curry-brand.html
Thomas Burkel 
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