USC's Juju Watkins, Kentucky's Robert Dillingham land 'smartest NIL deal ever'

Two of the top freshmen in college basketball have landed NIL deals with NerdWallet in what is being called the “smartest NIL deal ever.” The deal features Kentucky standout Robert Dillingham and USC star guard Juju Watkins, arguably the top young players in the sport.

What’s unique about this NIL deal – outside of the partnership with players building an impressive resume on and off the court – is that both players were “contractually obligated to commit to a NerdWallet smart money decision as a part of the deal.”

Watkins chose to create a budget for her earnings and share her goal for using these funds in the future. Dillingham will be consulting with a certified financial planner/advisor about the use of his funds.

“Current estimated annual NIL deals stand at $750,000,000 and are projected to reach $3-$5 billion by 2025,” NerdWallet said when announcing the partnerships. “This is the first-ever NIL deal to contractually obligate athletes to commit to a smart money action using NerdWallet’s trusted financial guidance while publicly sharing contract terms for accountability.”

Interestingly, both players shared their NIL “contracts” publicly, revealing the terms that they agreed to with fans and followers to help keep them accountable. For example, Watkins’ “contract” calls for her to start an “emergency fund of at least $500.” Dillingham’s “contract” requires him to “pay extra on high-interest debt such as credit cards first before worrying about student loans.”

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Juju Watkins racking up NIL deals

Judea “Juju” Watkins was a five-star prospect in the Class of 2023 coming out of Chatsworth (California) Sierra Canyon. She was named the Naismith High School Player of the Year following her senior season.

She’s made an instant impact for the Trojans and was a key reason why USC earned a No. 1 seed in the Women’s NCAA Tournament. Watkins leads USC with 27 points and 2.4 steals per game. She’s second with 3.2 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. And she’s been phenomenal at the free throw line, connecting on 208-of-246 attempts for an 84.6% success rate. The 246 attempts are 42% of USC’s team total.

Plus, she’s already won several national Freshmen of the Year Awards.

 “From opening night, when her performance enabled the Trojans to stun Ohio State and quickly become a top 10 program, she has been waking up the echoes of the Cheryl Miller and Lisa Leslie eras while becoming a must-see Hollywood sports talent,” said Mel Greenberg, USBWA Vice President for Women.

Additionally, Watkins is building an NIL resume that rivals anybody in women’s college sports, even Livvy Dunne and Caitlin Clark.

Watkins became the first high school star to sign with Klutch Sports for NIL representation, and in she was one of the first players to sign an NIL deal with sportswear and sneaker giant Nike. She also has landed deals with Lids, Celsius, Morgan & Morgan, Cash App and a partnership with House of Victory, a USC-focused collective.

Watkins’ social media platform has also continued to grow. She now has more than 442,000 followers. And her On3 NIL Valuation ranks No. 12 in women’s college basketball.

Robert Dillingham also staring on, off court

Robert Dillingham was another highly touted recruit in the 2023 class, and he, too, is doing big things on the college level. He’s averaging 15.4 points for the Wildcats, who earned a three-seed in the South Region and face Oakland. Dillingham is also expected to be an early pick in the NBA draft.

With more than 888,000 followers, Dillingham is also a hit with brands in the NIL market.

On Monday, Dillingham was announced as part of an NIL deal with Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS. It was also revealed on Monday that Dillingham is part of a special release of Topps trading cards that goes on sale before the start of the NCAA Tournament.

Dillingham was also a part of the Crossover Culture campaign announced recently, joining current Wildcat freshman Jordan Burks along with Kentucky signee Boogie Fland. He was also part of the deal with Topps and previously inked a deal with KINLÒ.

All in all, Dillingham has an On3 NIL Valuation that ranks No. 62 in the On3 NIL 100, the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.