The Jordan Brand has officially signed its first collegiate athlete.
On Oct. 31, the company announced that Kiki Rice has become the Jordan Brand’s first name, image, and likeness (NIL) athlete.
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As an incoming freshman at UCLA, Rice is considered to be one of the most decorated players from the class of 2022.
“Being Jordan Brand’s first NIL athlete is an incredible milestone, and I think it’s a testament to the hard work I’ve put in and all the people around me who have helped me get to this point,” said Rice in an official statement. “Signing with the Jordan Brand is another motivating factor for me to continue to work hard and achieve my goals.”
Jordan's First NIL Athlete
The company also shared their excitement to have an athlete like Rice on its roster.
“The Jordan Brand family is made up of leaders who are making a difference on and off the court. Together, Rice and Jordan Brand will collaborate on ways to serve Rice’s local community, like helping improve gender equity in sport for young girls,” said the brand.
As previously reported by AfroTech: Brands like Jordan aren’t the only ones allowing college athletes to take advantage of NIL deals.
From Bojangles to Beats By Dre to financial institutions and beyond, allowing students to profit off their likeness has set the tone to be life-changing for many young people.
We got some special messages for @kiki_rice0 from the @Jumpman23 family today 🥺#GoBruins x #Jumpman pic.twitter.com/2wlTTkBgj9
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) October 31, 2022
Welcome To The Team
After inking the deal, Rice received praise from fellow Jordan Brand athletes including:
- NBA’s Carmelo Anthony
- Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts
- New Orleans Pelicans superstar Zion Williamson
The athletes welcomed the budding star athlete with a video.
WBNA player and former UCLA women’s basketball point guard Jordin Canada, who is a Jordan ambassador in the league, also sent Rice a video message to welcome her to the team.
