Duke basketball star Jeremy Roach latest Rhoback U team member

Jeremy Roach is well-established as one of the top players in the ACC. The multi-year starter is a senior team captain at Duke. He averages 14.8 points so far this season – which includes a 22-point performance at Arkansas.

Roach continues to use the success on the court to build a brand off of it.

On Thursday, Roach became the latest player to land an NIL deal with Rhoback.

Rhoback has been an aggressive spender in endorsement deals since the inception of name, image and likeness in 2021.

Earlier this football season, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, Penn State running back Nick Singleton and Notre Dame tailback Audric Estimé signed on as long-term ambassadors with the activewear brand. Heck, the company even has a season-long partnership with former LSU head coach and national champion Ed Orgeron.

And now Roach is joining the Rhoback U team.

“With a prominent presence in college athletics, Rhoback is a natural choice, having established one of the strongest collegiate apparel programs in the country,” Roach said in a statement provided to On3. “They continue to set the standard in the NIL space with the most comfortable activewear and highest quality content. I am excited for this upcoming season. I look forward to spreading their #craveactivity motto among teammates, fans, and the greater Duke community.”

A spokesperson for Rhoback said they’re excited to join Roach’s team as his official apparel sponsor.

“As a leading face of Rhoback U, the Washington D.C native will help lead the program this basketball season,” the spokesperson said. “Jeremy has established himself as a leader for the Duke basketball program and his dynamic personality shines both on and off the court, which immediately resonated with us.

“Introducing Jeremy to the Rhoback community is incredibly exciting. We look forward to connecting further with the incredibly loyal Duke fanbase. Be on the lookout for fun content, showcasing both Jeremy’s impressive talent and positive personality. We are proud to be a part of his team as he helps take Rhoback U to new heights.”

Jeremy Roach has strong NIL brand

This isn’t the first significant NIL deal Jeremy Roach has landed.

He’s previously executed partnerships with high-end shoe company Steven Madden and even hosted an “April Madness” basketball camp through an agreement with NextGenCamps.

Roach has an On3 NIL Valuation of $152,000, which ranks No. 58 in college basketball. He has a sizeable presence on social media with more than 75,000 followers, which makes him even more attractive for brands to work with.

The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college athletes. A proprietary algorithm, the On3 NIL Valuation calculates an athlete’s NIL value using dynamic data points targeting three primary categories: performance, influence and exposure.

About On3 NIL Valuation, Brand Value, Roster Value

While the algorithm includes deal data, it does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals athletes have completed to date, nor does it set an athlete’s NIL valuation for their entire career.

Rhoback’s aggressive NIL strategy

Rhoback, the fast-rising apparel operation, has taken advantage of the NIL market. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, there was never a master NIL plan – just a basic belief athletes deserve a right to be paid.

Based in Charlottesville, Virginia, the company started the Rhoback U program in July 2021, shortly after the NCAA made its move.

“We felt strongly that everyone deserves to be compensated as a college athlete,” Rhoback’s athlete and brand relations rep Will Lawler told On3.

As Lawler explains it, Rhoback wants an athlete to embody the company’s logo. The dog mascot that graces every polo and quarter zip is based on the breed of Ridgebacks, which crave activity. Rhoback is a shortened version of Rhodesian Ridgeback.

So, when identifying which household names the company wanted to add, the same motto the company has at the top left corner of its website was put into use. For starters, Lawler said tapping into college football markets that fostered communities was key. 

It’s why they went into markets like Texas, Alabama, Notre Dame and Georgia initially and then expanded with LSU, Clemson and Penn State. The move into the Duke basketball market is another example of that focus.

“We wanted to work with people that we knew were active,” Lawler said. “And obviously, great people off the field, too.”

Details of deals with Rhoback

Each one of the core athletes of the Rhoback U program is given four incentives to sign on. They are all compensated for their work, with a cash-based fee. From there they still have an opportunity to earn a commission for sales they drive in, plus a substantial amount of gear.

The other unique aspect of signing with the company is content creation. Rhoback is in the process of creating a media house. That means athletes can work with the apparel company on their brand messaging, along with the creation of content for social media channels.

As for the exclusive apparel aspect of the partnership, the deal expires once they reach the NFL or NBA. Rhoback identifies itself as an activewear brand, meaning its athletes are open to signing on with business or formal apparel companies.