Houston’s largest credit union signs 9 Cougar basketball players to NIL deals

As expected, more and more brands are announcing NIL agreements with March Madness tipping off this week.

The latest NIL deal is between TDECU, Houston’s largest credit union, and nine members of the Houston Cougars men’s and women’s basketball teams.

The deal was facilitated by Houston-focused collective LinkingCoogs and features five members of the Cougar’s men’s team that earned the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Also highlighted are four members of the women’s squad that finished 15-16 on the season.

Included in the deal are:

• Guard Jamal Shead
• Forward Ja’Vier Francis
• Guard Emanuel Sharp
• Guard Terrance Arceneaux
• Guard Ryan Elvin
• Guard Laila Blair
• Guard Brittney Onyeje
• Forward Tatyana Hill
• Guard Taryn Johnson

The deals are part of an initiative called “TDECU Assists,” which focuses on student-athletes performing random acts of kindness on campus for their fellow students. Additionally, TDECU said in a news release that the student-athletes’ acts of kindness will be featured in social media campaigns throughout March.

“TDECU Assists was implemented to bridge the gap between the UH athletic program and the rest of the student body,” Sheiludis Moyett, TDECU SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, said in a news release. “We take pride in supporting these exceptional student-athletes. TDECU Assists serves as the foundation for our future endeavors in the NIL space.”

As a sponsor of the Cougars men’s basketball team and the naming rights partner for football’s John O’Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium, the credit union is going all in with its support of the Cougars ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

TDECU will host March Madness watch parties for both students and alumni. In support of the team, TDECU has converted all its billboards in the Houston area. TDECU is also a host city supporter for the 2023 Men’s Final Four.

Another major NIL deal for LinkingCoogs

LinkingCoogs spokesperson Landon Goesling indicated the NIL deals are another significant step forward in the collective’s support of Houston student-athletes.

“Transitioning to the Big 12, we know how important NIL is to be able to compete at a championship level,” Goesling said in the statement. “We are excited to help our student-athletes through these opportunities.”

In just a six-month span, LinkingCoogs has facilitated more than $2 million in NIL deals. While the University of Houston does have a school-specific NIL marketplace with Opendorse, LinkingCoogs has become one of the largest deal facilitators for Cougar athletes.

“Us reaching over $2 million in deals in just a six-month span just shows you how far we have come and the amount of support from not only the University of Houston but the city of Houston. That’s why we go by the saying ‘For the city,’” Goesling told On3 earlier this month. “Obviously, this is a great achievement and accomplishment, but it’s only the beginning.”

Top Houston players included in TDECU NIL deal

The deal between TDECU and the nine players includes some of the most important players on the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Houston.

Shead was recently named the Defensive Player of the Year in the American Athletic Conference. He was also a second-team all-league pick. He has an On3 NIL Valuation of $72,000 and this is the 10th major NIL deal he’s executed.

Both Sharp and Arceneaux were named to the AAC’s Avll-Freshman team. A former On3 four-star recruit, Sharp has scored 171 points in his first season at Houston. He has an On3 NIL Valuation of $14,800. Another former On3 four-star recruit, Arceneaux scored 123 points and grabbed 80 rebounds in his first season. He has an On3 NIL Valuation of $15,200.

Blair was the leading scorer on the women’s team, averaging 14.2 points a game. Blair is the first Cougar to be named first-team AAC in program history. She led the team in scoring and was Houston’s 29th 1,000-point scorer this season. She scored in double figures 22 times in 2022-23 with a stretch of 13 straight games scoring 10-plus points. Blair has an On3 NIL Valuation of $19,000. That is No. 82 in the On3 College Women’s Basketball NIL Ranking.

Expect more NIL deals ahead of NCAA Tournament

Other brands are weighing into the NIL world in March.

Recently, Gonzaga star Drew Timme inked a deal with Beats by Dre, Auburn guard Wendell Green announced an agreement with The Next Round, the Illinois NIL Store launched a Matthew Mayer “Mullet Monster” T-shirt campaign and MarketPryce agreed to a deal with the entire UCLA’s women’s basketball roster.

Additionally, Nabisco released deals with top stars like Baylor’s Keyonte George and TCU’s Mike Miles. Plus, Great Clips signed Mayer and UConn’s Caroline Ducharme to a deal to promote its “Hats Off Sweepstakes” during March Madness.

And then on Monday, Newegg, MSI and Seagate Technology announced the launch of a basketball-themed and NIL-fueled campaign featuring UCLA basketball star Jaylen Clark.