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NIL Store Top-10 Commission Earners from March Madness
April 20, 2023

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, men’s and women’s basketball players from the NIL Store network earned record-breaking commission sales during March Madness.

So our NIL Store team decided to dig into the data across our entire school network and determine who earned the most commission from March 1 - April 10.

One of the best things we learned? The top-10 includes an even split of five males and five females. And three of the top-four are females. An incredible note for women’s basketball.

So without further ado, here’s the top-10!

#10 Liz Kitley - Virginia Tech

The 2-time ACC Player of the Year led Virginia Tech women’s basketball to historic heights in 2022-23, as the Hokies advanced to their first-ever Final Four.

Liz Kitley had some fire drops, including one depicting her on a throne as the queen of the ACC. Good things come to the best player on a record-setting program.

She recently announced she’ll be returning for another season. And that means the return of her sister, Raven, who could always be spotted in Liz’s Hokies NIL jersey!

#9 Jalen Hood-Schifino - Indiana

For most freshmen athletes, it can take some time to earn your place in the eyes of a fanbase. That “place” typically translates to merchandise sales as you'll see later down this list.

But JHS was no ordinary freshman.

He dazzled on the court the entire season and pumped out great custom merch from the jump.

As it turned out, Hood-Schifino only stayed in Bloomington for a year. He declared for the NBA Draft and is projected to be a top pick. But he sure did make the most of his year!

#8 Grace Berger - Indiana

From one Hoosier to another.

Unlike Hood-Schifino, who only had one year to win the favor of Hoosier fans, Berger has captured the attention of them for years.

As Berger got better over the years, so did the Hoosiers.

And it culminated with Indiana women’s basketball’s first Big Ten regular season title in 40 years and a #1 seed in the Big Dance.

While the sadly Hoosiers bowed out early, IU fans’ love and appreciation for Berger was apparent as her sales continued to move. 

Berger was recently drafted by her hometown Indiana Fever in the WNBA Draft.

#7 Donovan Clingan - UConn

Donovan Clingan is the top representative of the National Champion UConn men’s basketball team.

It's an impressive achievement for a freshman who came off the bench.

But Clingan is from Bristol, Conn. - not too far from the Storrs campus of UConn.

That local connection and inherent fanbase propelled Clingan's ability to sell merch, moreso than most freshmen around the country.

The value of "staying home" in the NIL era is something we'll continue to monitor as athletes weigh their opens when they are selecting which school to attend.

#6 Lamont Butler - San Diego State

Lamont Butler etched his name permanently into San Diego State lore he knocked down a buzzer-beater to send the Aztecs to their first ever national title game appearance.

And while yes, Butler had done some sales prior to the big shot, it was ultimately his “Butler at the Buzzer” drop that propelled him to a massive March Madness in sales.

As it had been throughout the postseason, the NIL Store creative team was ready and waiting for the next big “moment” to capitalize on.

It came in the form of Butler’s incredible shot.

And before the night was even over, Butler’s merch was available for sale.

Aztec fans went nuts for it. And rightly so.

It was a perfect display of the power of a “moment” in a nutshell.

#5 Trayce Jackson-Davis - Indiana

A number of factors propelled Indiana legend Trayce Jackson-Davis into the top-5.

For one, he’s one of three Indiana athletes on this list. Hoosier Nation shows incredible support for their athletes.

But most importantly, and similar to Grace Berger, Jackson-Davis earned his place over the course of four years.

He played hard, played the right way and finished at the tops of many statistical categories.

And that resonated with Indiana fans, as it would for any fanbase.

The clear leader and best player on the team, his merch sales resulted favorably.

And when he ultimately said goodbye to the fanbase declaring for the draft, he was showered with appreciation and adulation.

#4 Flau’jae Johnson - LSU

What a freshman season for Flau’jae Johnson.

If you don’t know her name by now, you’ve probably been under a rock.

The multi-talented Flau’jae - did you know she’s an amazing rapper?! - earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors, before ultimately helping lead LSU to the National Championship.

Flau’jae’s brand is insane. She’s got more than 1.2 million followers on Instagram alone.

The loyalty from her fans showed as she dropped some amazing merch throughout March, ultimately culminating with unveiling the first LSU women’s basketball NIL jersey (alongside Angel Reese).

#3 Nika Mühl - UConn

Want to know something special about Nika Mühl?

Due to her international status, she is never allowed to promote her NIL merchandise. Not a retweet, not a share, not even a comment.

Yet, she's third on this list.

That’s the power of the Nika Mühl brand. And that’s the incredible support UConn players have from their loyal fanbase.

Time and time again, fans showed out for her drops.

We kept dropping merch, and fans kept delivering like Mühl on the court.

It’s clear that UConn fans resonate with Mühl’s fearless attitude. And she’ll be back next year with a fully loaded Husky lineup.

#2 Zach Edey - Purdue

You want to know something special about Zach Edey? (see Mühl, Nika above)

Same thing. An international athlete with a passive NIL agreement who is unable to share his own merch like American athletes.

But that didn’t stop Purdue fans from showering Edey with love through his merch the entire season.

Remember Edey’s hockey drop? We’re pretty sure every Boilermaker fan has one. And if not, go get one here!

And he earned every bit of the love he received.

Beyond being the UNANIMOUS national player of the year across every outlet, Edey’s massive presence has resonated with Purdue fans. That connection is invaluable.

A Big Ten regular season and tournament championship sure helps, too!

#1 Angel Reese - LSU

One drop.

That’s all it took for Angel Reese to earn the top spot

Reese joined our platform late in the game, but it didn’t matter.

When she dropped her LSU NIL jersey just days after the National Championship victory, it caught like wildfire.

She is the face of women’s college basketball, and arguably all of college basketball as a whole.

But most importantly, she is supported because her message resonates with people.

Reese is unapologetically herself and encourages others - especially others who look like her - to do the same.

Since dropping Reese’s jersey, we’ve received countless emails from fans telling stories of how she has inspired them. How they are proud to wear her jersey. How they feel uplifted when they are wearing her gear.

It’s an important reminder for all athletes. Fans are spending hard-earned money to wear your merch. So represent them well, and make them feel honored to do so.

Angel Reese has done just that.

You can find her complete locker room at the Tigers NIL Store, which opened April 18.

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