Kentucky WBB making the most of NIL opportunities

Who doesn’t like making money? The Kentucky Women’s Basketball players certainly do.

With the addition of name, image, and likeness (NIL), college basketball looks a lot different. Players such as Uconn’s Paige Bueckers and Louisville’s Hailey Van Lith make more money from social media than some WNBA players do from their yearly salaries. Now, the Kentucky women’s basketball team is getting in on the fun.

“The NIL has just been a great opportunity, I think, for all players in the nation; using their brand and stuff to make money and build who they are and just make a statement for themselves,” Blair Green said during SEC Media Day on Tuesday.

Green has capitalized on her new financial opportunities. From booming basketball camps to lucrative endorsements, Green is always on the hunt for new financial opportunities. At Big Blue Madness, Green walked the Big Blue Carpet, holding an Alani Nu energy drink; of course, she made sure the label faced the cameras.

Head coach Kyra Elzy discussed NIL’s impact on her team during the Kentucky WBB Media Day on Oct. 5.

“[Our players] are very empowered right now. They’re not afraid to use their voice. They love money,” Elzy said.

The 44-year-old coach continued with an anecdote from when Kentucky attended the opening of Academy Sports + Outdoors in Lexington.

“Blair comes up to me and says, ‘Who’s in charge of this event?’ I was like, ‘Here’s some different people. Why do you need to know?’ She said, ‘I’m going to talk to them about hiring me so I can make some extra money.'”

Green isn’t the only one on the team making money moves. Both Jada Walker and Cassidy Rowe signed deals with Rise Up Sports Media this offseason. Additionally, Maddie Scherr constantly promotes cosmetics and clothing brands on social media.

Green is just thankful for the opportunities.

“Kentucky Basketball is huge and I think there’s a lot of people in a lot of companies who are wanting to help us and use our name, image, likeness for their brand,” Green said at SEC Media Day. “It’s awesome to have people around us who are preparing us for the next stage in life.”