Duke basketball star Cooper Flagg was born in 2006, and has an empire valued at over $4.8 million already. 

He’s Gatorade’s second-ever men’s college basketball ambassador. He’s in one of the best basketball ads in recent memory with New Balance, despite Duke University being a Nike sponsored school. And this is all before ever playing a game as a professional. By the way, check out that ad here. Showing his hometown and the relatable scene of a kid playing on a garage door hoop creates the aesthetic of basketball as a first love is a perfect introduction to who Cooper Flagg is, and why the public should root for him, and he didn’t even need to say a word. 

This is the apex of the name, image, and likeness (NIL) landscape in college sports, and it’s surely not limited to Cooper Flagg and the allure of the Duke men’s basketball tradition. Women’s stars like Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins (who just tore her ACL – get well soon JuJu!) are cashing in just as well. While I could write for days about what this means for the state of college sports culture (with money luring some players to change schools like they change shoes), the broader point this blog will address is about personal branding. Specifically, what all industries can learn from these young athletes who are navigating a truly fascinating change in what personal branding can mean. 

But we still need to understand the topic first. So, let’s check ball. 

What is NIL? 

Not too long ago, college athletes were bound by strict amateurism rules that prevented them from profiting off their own name, image, or likeness. It was a system designed to preserve the purity of collegiate sports, but it came at a steep price. Athletes who lit up arenas, generated millions for their schools, and dominated the court or the field, weren’t allowed to share in the profits generated by this work. This all changed with a landmark Supreme Court decision in 2021, and it’s where the conversation should start in terms of NIL, because too often it seems like people think it happened overnight, or that it was the NCAA’s decision entirely.

The name of the case is National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston, and it wasn’t even entirely about athletics. Essentially, the court ruled unanimously (!) that the NCAA’s limitations on things like scholarships for graduate studies, payments for tutoring, and paid internships, violated antitrust laws. This decision upheld lower court findings that the NCAA’s limitations unlawfully suppressed competition for student-athlete talent. This decision, only as part of a larger shift, allowed student-athletes to receive monetary benefits without compromising their amateur status.

Okay now that that’s out of the way, I want to shift back to the title of the blog: the claim that the most valuable asset you own, no matter who you are, is your name.

Big Money Moves

Imagine being a college athlete and securing an NIL deal that outshines the guaranteed money of an NBA rookie contract. Sounds unreal, right? Yet, for some athletes, especially those in the female game, this has become a reality.

Take Paige Bueckers, for example, whose NIL deals have not only catapulted her brand to new heights but also redefined what financial success looks like in college sports. The narrative here is clear: NIL isn’t just leveling the playing field—it’s creating entirely new games. Here’s Paige’s ad, which is right up there with Cooper Flagg’s with New Balance.

The Transfer Trend

Here’s where it gets a little dicey. One of the most fascinating—and contentious—aspects of the NIL revolution is its impact on athlete mobility. Historically, transferring schools was a rare move, often fraught with challenges and red tape. Today, however, the lure of even bigger NIL deals has many athletes eyeing new horizons. Imagine the decision-making process: Do you stick with a familiar program, or do you switch to a school where a multi-million-dollar endorsement deal awaits? 

If I can insert my personal opinion, you can understand following the cash from their point of view. This is almost a bonus stage in their careers, before their professional careers start. And in some cases, they are huge in college but won’t even go pro, so why not get as much as you can before starting your career for real? Like let’s be honest, think back to when you were an impressionable college student and you had companies and investors throwing thousands at you. You probably would’ve bit.

Of course, not every star athlete is hopping from school to school in pursuit of bigger NIL deals. Take Caitlin Clark, for example. She had some of the highest NIL earnings in college sports history—reportedly over $3 million—and she did it all while staying at Iowa. Her loyalty to the Hawkeyes has only strengthened her brand, proving that sometimes, sticking with one program can be just as lucrative as chasing the bag with another.

This isn’t just a sports story; it’s a reflection of a larger societal trend. Whether in college sports or the corporate world, the allure of “greener grass” is ever-present. The transfer portal is buzzing as athletes weigh immediate financial gains against long-term stability, a dilemma that mirrors the broader challenges professionals face every day in search of better opportunities.

NIL Is the Future of Talent Retention—Not Just in Sports, But in Every Industry

Think NIL is just a sports thing? Think again. This is a preview of what’s coming to every industry. Companies are already learning from the NIL model—if you want to keep your top talent, you better pay up and provide them with personal brand-building opportunities. Just like athletes are transferring schools for better NIL deals, employees will jump ship if they’re not given the tools to monetize their own influence.

Chasing the Greener Grass

The phenomenon of constantly seeking the next big opportunity isn’t confined to sports. In the corporate world, talent often hops from one opportunity to another in pursuit of better pay or a more promising title. The NIL revolution mirrors this trend, highlighting a universal truth: the grass is always greener somewhere else. Whether you’re an athlete eyeing the next transfer or a professional contemplating a career move, the lure of immediate reward can sometimes overshadow long-term growth.

This broader commentary on human behavior is something we at Fortress have always found fascinating. We see it every day in the world of branding and marketing—where the pursuit of quick wins often conflicts with the need for sustainable, long-term strategy. It’s a conversation worth having, not just in sports, but in every corner of the business world.

The biggest takeaway from NIL? Your name, your image, and your likeness are your business. If you don’t own them, someone else will. This is true whether you’re an athlete, a content creator, or a corporate executive. NIL is a wake-up call that in the modern economy, personal branding isn’t optional—it’s everything.