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WNBA star Angel Reese has exceeded the expectations of her former agents. During a panel discussion at ComplexCon 2024, Nov. 16-17, in Las Vegas, NV, the Chicago Sky player looked back on the discouraging advice she received from her former agents, who had low expectations for her success with name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. “I used to be with an agency, and I’m not with the agency anymore,” the 22-year-old explained on the panel, moderated by Speedy Morman , according to Complex. “And initially when I was with the agency, that specific agency told me I was never going to make over $2,000. … And that was when NIL first started.” Reese would prove those agents wrong. She has secured a slew of NIL deals with companies that include: Wingstop McDonald’s Raising Cane’s Amazon Sonic Bose Banter by Piercing Pagoda TurboTax Xfinity JanSport Outback Steakhouse In April 2024, her NIL valuation had reached $1.8 million, notes The Street. Reese is now working with new agents, Jeanine...
Sports fans, or those who tuned into the 2024 Olympics , will surely recognize the name Julien Alfred. The Saint Lucian sprinter and gold medal champion made waves earlier this year with her incredible performance on the global stage, setting national records in the 100-meter event and taking home the very first Olympic medal for her home nation. Thanks to her ground-shattering performance, she is set to be one of several athletes recognized in the Netflix docu-series Sprint: The World’s Fastest Humans Part 2 . The series premiered on the streamer today, Nov. 13, showcasing Alfred’s hard work and dedication in the days leading up to her performance in the Paris Olympics where her success was highlighted on the global stage. In the trailer, Alfred can be heard saying, “This is my chance to make the world know my name.” Clearly, she succeeded in this goal, having brought home the gold and glory for her country. All About Julien Alfred’s Early Life And Career Beginnings (Li Ying/Xinhua...
Two-time Super Bowl champion Terrell Davis is taking the lessons of his past and educating the next generation of athletes. The San Diego, CA-native was once a student-athlete, playing for Long Beach State University in California before transferring to the University of Georgia after Long Beach’s football program was shut down. In 1995, Davis’ talents would bring him to the bright lights of the NFL field, with him being drafted by the Denver Broncos. The team signed him under a three-year contract valued at $484,000, which included a $38,000 signing bonus, mentioned Spotrac. Early Financial Mishaps He recalled having no prior financial education when he entered the league, but he had a realization about money management through veteran teammate Simon Raynard Fletcher who one day was driving him to a nearby hotel following training camp. “I noticed on the passenger side of his car when I got in, it was a bunch of envelopes and there was a bunch of checks,” Davis told AFROTECH™. “I...
Thanks to her mother’s advice, track-and-field athlete and Olympic gold medalist Masai Russell felt comfortable taking on NIL opportunities. In 2021, college athletes were permitted to profit from their name, image, and likeness for the first time due to an NCAA rule change, the New York Times reports. Russell, a University of Kentucky student-athlete at the time, was in disbelief. She recently expressed that it had been the status quo for athletes not to receive compensation. “When I was able to see that NIL was an opportunity that I could take advantage of, I didn’t know that it was real at first,” she mentioned during an interview on “The It Girls” podcast. “I didn’t know this was something that was in the making for so long because everyone, it was always like an ongoing, ‘Oh, no. Athletes shouldn’t get paid. Athletes should get paid.’ It was always a back-and-forth battle. So when the law actually got passed, I really didn’t believe it.” After further research, Russell was...
Caleb Williams, rookie quarterback for the Chicago Bears, is scaling his interest in the investment space. While in college at the University of Southern California, Williams was among the first athletes to leverage name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. He became a part- owner of the male grooming company Faculty in 2022, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. He was also the No. 1 draft pick in the 2024 NFL Draf t and was picked by the Chicago Bears . Now, Williams is scaling his interest in the investment arena by launching his own investment firm. Williams has established 888 Midas, which will “capitalize on select alternative investments in private equity, venture capital, and real estate,” according to a press release. His partners and advisors will support the firm. They include: Sherif Guirgis, former managing director of Main Street Advisors Ross Walker, co-founder and managing partner of Hawkins Way Capital, a multi-billion-dollar real estate enterprise John Terzian, co-founder...
Mary J. Blige’s fans have been asking her for a boot collection for years. Now, the music legend has delivered on her promise. In May 2023, the “Good Morning Gorgeous” singer exclusively shared with AFROTECH™ that her signature boot line was on the way. “It’s in the works,” Blige told AFROTECH™ at the time . “For some reason, this is taking longer than everything else, but we’re gonna get there. Trust me. Everything else is here so that’s on its way.” The time has officially arrived as Blige teamed up with Giuseppe Zanotti in May 2024 for “The Mary Boot.” What’s more, she was a part of the design process. “Giuseppe Zanotti and Mary J. Blige have transformed their longtime friendship into an exclusive, limited-edition collaboration,” Giuseppe Zanotti shared on its Instagram page. “‘The Mary Boot,’ a stunning over-the-knee boot co-designed by the two talents.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Giuseppe Zanotti (@giuseppezanotti) During the 2024 Strength of a Woman Festival...
Reggie Bush has been all over the news in recent weeks after the Heisman Trust announced a formal reinstatement of the NFL legend ‘s long-rescinded Heisman Trophy. Bush originally earned Heisman honors in 2005 while attending USC , before having the title stripped from him in a 2010 student athlete reimbursement scandal. Now, many football fans and fellow Heisman winners alike agree that a decades-old wrong has officially been made right, with Reggie Bush expected to attend future Heisman ceremonies as an esteemed alumnus. Despite the temporary loss of his Heisman honors, Reggie Bush continued to make waves on the field with NFL teams including the Miami Dolphins , the Detroit Lions, and the San Francisco 49ers, among others. Throughout the course of his NFL career, Bush is said to have taken in over $60 million in salary alone, resulting in a net worth of $25 million in 2024, per Celebrity Net Worth . Let’s examine the life and career of Reggie Bush, and analyze the multiple...
A serial entrepreneur has shared a story revolving around the early beginnings of 50 Cent building his business acumen. In an Instagram post, Jesse Itzler shared that the rapper and businessman was once an intern for him. According to Itzler’s website, he has built and sold Marquis Jet, Zico Coconut Water, 29029 Everesting , and more. He is also part owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.
An old saying suggests, “life comes at you fast.” And that’s a sentiment that proved to be true for former NFL player Vince Young. Young was a college quarterback standout for the University of Texas Longhorns. He would lead the team to a national championship win over the University of Southern California Trojans in the Rose Bowl in 2006. His collegiate performance on the field led to his drafting as the No. 3 pick to the Tennessee Titans later that year. According to Spotrac, Young’s initial contract with the Titans earned him $25 million. Throughout his career, he would go on to be signed by the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and Green Bay Packers. During his overall time on the field, he averaged 8,964 passing yards and threw 46 touchdowns. However, it was his time with the Titans that launched him into NFL superstardom. According to Bleacher Report, Young became the first-ever rookie quarterback to rush for over 500 yards, leading the Titans to a record of an 8-8 finish...
Vaunt — founded by former NBA player Roger Mason Jr. alongside startup and technology executive Omari Ware — has raised a $5 million Series A funding round to reimagine the future of sports and entertainment, according to a press release. The platform was created to help athletes and artists generate income by showcasing their talent to live and digital audiences. “When we created Vaunt, we envisioned a company where players and artists can display their talents and competitiveness both inside and out of their crafts,” said Vaunt Co-founder and CEO, Roger Mason Jr., in a press release. “We are so proud for Vaunt to take this step forward and prepared for us to go even further. The opportunities for this brand and company are endless.”
Virginia Tech Athletics is taking more action to help student-athletes. According to a press release, Virginia Tech Athletics has adopted additional measures to help its college athletes monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL). The follows after Virginia Tech Athletics’ newly established partnership with INFLCR to ensure NIL deals would be more accessible to student-athletes through the Hokies Exchange platform back in March. The company website states once a business, collective, or individual has registered and been approved for Hokies Exchange, it will be placed in a database. Here athletes and the entity will have opportunities to connect and work towards a NIL deal. Businesses can sort through an index of student-athletes to refine their search using various indicators. In addition, director of athletics Whit Babcock has announced Commonwealth NIL, Hot Route Marketing, and Triumph NIL will be supporting Virginia Tech student-athletes, businesses and donors through their...