Cavinder Twins stress importance of education during On3 Elite Series appearance

Haley and Hanna Cavinder wish there was something around like the On3 Elite Series when they were first entering college.

The Cavinder Twins are pioneers in the NIL space. As soon as the clock struck midnight on July 1, 2021, NIL became legal and they were the first to ink sponsorship deals as women’s basketball players at Fresno State. Yet, even with the guidance of a good support system and representation from Everett Sports Management and help from attorney Darren Heitner, they had to learn on the fly how to balance their new world on the basketball court at Fresno State and Miami with their roles as NIL brand ambassadors and influencers with millions of followers.

And the Cavinder Twins used their guest appearance at the On3 Elite Series to stress the importance of learning as much as possible about NIL.

The On3 Elite Series has attracted around 50 of the nation’s top high school football recruits this week to Nashville for an event focused on educating and informing high school athletes on how to safely and successfully navigate the NIL era. Filled with speakers, panels and the opportunity to form connections, the event provided a much-needed avenue for athletes to gain financial education before entering college.

All things that would have been a huge help to the Cavinder Twins when they dove head-first into the NIL space nearly three years ago.

“I think it’s extremely important,” Hanna told On3. “It’s a great idea before you even enter college to be able to learn more about NIL and the experiences and connections you can make. I would have loved to have known that going into college.” 

“I think On3 did a great job of putting this together,” Haley added. “With the way it continues to go and how athletes can generate so much income for themselves, it’s good to be educated and be ‘in the know’ beforehand.”

Cavinder Twins have built massive NIL brand

Haley Cavinder is No. 37 on the On3 NIL 100, while Hanna Cavinder ranks No. 42. The twins rank even higher in the On3 NIL Women’s 100 – Haley is No. 4 and Hanna is No. 5 overall. The On3 NIL 100 is the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.

The twins have millions of followers over all social media platforms and have capitalized on their reach through big money-making deals over the years with attention-grabbing brands like Caktus AI, Raising Cane’s, Under Armour, Leaf Trading Cards, WWE and countless more.

“My dad did a really good job of embedding in me at a young age to save my money and invest it, but I think I wish I had been even more informed on that,” Haley said.

“In contracts, [I wish I had] understood the terms and language used,” Hanna added. “Putting young people that know what they’re doing in these positions is very beneficial.” 

After taking a year off from the sport, the Cavinders returned to college basketball – and the NIL space. They recently inked a deal with Slate Milk after both twins announced their return to Miami for the 2024-2025 season.