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The landscape of college athletics has become the Wild West since the introduction of name, image and likeness (NIL) agreements, which have seen athletes make money seemingly hand over fist.
It is a positive sign. For decades, universities made money and entire industries sprang up around college sports, but athletes could only be paid in the form of scholarships.
Now that the NCAA allows those same athletes to be compensated indirectly through endorsement deals, players can earn what the market deems worthy of their talent. And there is a lot of talent that deserves it.
In both men’s and women’s college basketball there are athletes who earn millions of dollars in sponsorships, and also from large companies.
Here, DailyMail.com takes a look at the ten biggest winners who will grace the fields of March Madness.
Angel Reese (L) and Jared McCain (R) have gotten rich from NIL deals this year
10. RJ Davis – $625,000
The University of North Carolina senior guard is in the midst of his best season with the Tar Heels.
After playing all four years at Chapel Hill, Davis averaged 21.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game and was named a first-team All-American.
According to FanSided, Davis has raised $625,000 in NIL endorsements and is ranked fifth in On3’s NIL rankings.
He has signed endorsement deals with companies such as the Keurig coffee maker, ZIPS Car Wash, and the organic food brand Simple Truth.
The list of top March Madness NIL winners begins with North Carolina senior guard RJ Davis
9. Paige Bueckers – $650,000
As part of the greatest dynasty in women’s college basketball, if not all of women’s sports, Paige Bueckers is a star point guard at the University of Connecticut.
‘Paige Buckets’, as she is known to her fans, has been dealing with injuries during her time at UConn, but this year she has had the best season of her career.
She has 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game and was also placed on the AP All-American first team.
Thanks to strong backing from companies like Gatorade, Nike, StockX, Chegg, Dunkin’ and more, it has arrived An estimated $650,000 in NIL money, according to SportsKeeda.
UConn star guard Paige Bueckers has an impressive list of backups in her stable
8. Zach Edey – $810,000
Zach Edey was recently named AP National Player of the Year and is a consensus first-team All-American.
That’s for good reason, as the 7-footer from Purdue has been one of the most dominant forces in college basketball this year.
He has a career-high 24.4 points per game along with 11.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists on average.
Backed by trading card company Topps and collectible startup Daps, Edey has incorporated an estimated $810,000 according to Forbes.
Purdue’s 7-foot Zach Edey named AP National Player of the Year
7. Hunter Dickinson – $844,000
The first player on this list to transfer to his current school, Hunter Dickinson was the biggest name in the 2023 transfer portal when he left Michigan for Kansas.
That move has paid off enormously: Dickinson averaged 18 points and a career-high 11.1 rebounds per game and made the AP All-American second team.
According to Forbes, Dickinson has earned approximately $844,000 through NIL deals.
This is thanks to endorsements from Adidas and Outback Steakhouse, as well as Wendy’s, Skims, and Keurig.
The signing for the University of Kansas has paid off for the great Hunter Dickinson (1)
6. Armando Bacot – $930,000
Our second North Carolina Tar Heel on this list is big man Armando Bacot, the longest-tenured player on this list.
Bacot has played college basketball for five seasons, all of them at UNC, and this year could be his best chance to win a national title.
He averages 14.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game and was named honorable mention to the AP All-American team.
According to Forbes, Bacot is earning $930 million through endorsements, including deals with Frosted Flakes, Dunkin’ and BOA Nutrition.
North Carolina Super Senior Armando Bacot Earned $900K in NIL Endorsements This Year
5. Rob Dillingham – $1 million
The first player to reach seven figures is Kentucky freshman Rob Dillingham, who is likely headed to the NBA after just one season in Lexington.
He averaged 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists with the Wildcats this year, which proved lucrative on and off the court.
Not only is he projected to be an NBA lottery pick, but Dillingham has also brought in $1 million in NIL endorsement deals.
That includes deals with companies like financial company NerdWallet, Skims and Topps, among others.
Kentucky freshman Rob Dillingham is the first player on this list to break $1 million in NIL deals
T-3. Jared McCain: $1.1 million
Another freshman is on the roster, and this one could also be a first-round pick, if he decides to turn pro.
Duke guard Jared McCain averages 13.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. His play has been spectacular, but some wonder if he plans to leave for the league now or will stay in Durham to partner with incoming recruits like Cooper Flagg.
However, McCain has more than enough money to keep him in college, with $1.1 million in his pockets, according to On3.
This is due to the endorsement of brands such as Crocs, CashApp, Skims and Celsius.
Duke freshman guard Jared McCain is the highest-earning men’s basketball player on this list.
T-3. Flau’jae Johnson – $1.1 million
The remaining spots on this list all belong to female basketball players, a testament to the star power women’s college basketball has produced this year.
We start with LSU star Flau’jae Johnson. Flau is fluid on and off the court, with the guard writing bars and rapping when she’s not playing.
This year, he averaged 14.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game and helped lead LSU to a third-place finish in the NCAA tournament.
It raised $1.1 million in NIL money, according to On3, with backing from Puma, Powerade, Papa John’s, Doritos and many more.
LSU Tiger Flau’jae Johnson’s talents on and off the court have earned him major endorsements
2. Angel Reese: $1.8 million
Flau’jae isn’t the only Bayou Bengal on the list: Angel Reese comes in second.
Reese remains one of the faces of college basketball since his matchup with Iowa in the national championship last year, and the Tigers star earned $1.8 million in NIL money, according to On3.
He has seen a drop in production this year – averaging fewer points per game this year (19) than last season (23) – as LSU struggled to maintain last season’s form.
But he maintains his financial and brand dominance, signing deals with Goldman Sachs, Beats by Dre, Reebok, Amazon and more.
Angel Reese continues to benefit from his growing popularity from last year’s title.
1. Caitlin Clark: $3.1 million
Topping the list of top earners in March Madness is the biggest name in college basketball this year: Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark.
Clark broke every scoring record the NCAA set for her this season, surpassing even the great Pete Maravich to become college basketball’s all-time scoring leader.
He’s also been scoring off the court, with an NIL portfolio estimated by On3 to be worth $3.1 million.
Clark is the face of Gatorade, State Farm, Buick, Nike and many more as the National Player of the Year leaves the college game to be the first overall pick of the Indiana Fever.
NCAA All-Time Leading Scorer Caitlin Clark Tops NIL Earners Chart This March
| Player | NIL value (reported) | Select backups | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caitlin Clark | 3.1 million dollars | Gatorade, Nike, State Farm, Buick, Gainbridge |
| 2 | Angel Reese | 1.8 million dollars | Goldman Sachs, Beats by Dre, Reebok, Amazon |
| T-3 | Flau’jae Johnson | 1.1 million dollars | Puma, JBL Audio, Doritos, Powerade, Papa John’s |
| T-3 | Jared McCain | 1.1 million dollars | Crocs, CashApp, Skims, Champs Sports |
| 5 | Rob Dillingham | $1 million | NerdWallet, Skims, Topps, KINLO |
| 6 | Armando Bacot | $930,000 | Iced Flakes, Dunkin’, Ibotta, GNC |
| 7 | hunter dickinson | $844,000 | Keurig, Skims, Wendy’s, adidas, Outback Steakhouse |
| 8 | Zach Edey | $810,000 | Topps, Daps |
| 9 | Paige Buecker | $650,000 | Gatorade, Dunkin’, Chegg, Nike, Bose |
| 10 | rj davis | $625,000 | Keurig, ZIPS car wash, simple truth |