South Carolina women's basketball: How MiLaysia Fulwiley has become an NIL mogul
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South Carolina freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley has been able to cash in on NIL like few other players. Fulwiley has inked deals with local restaurant Mr. Seafood, where she has her own sauce, as well as national brands like Turbo Tax.
But her two most high-profile deals are with Under Armour’s Curry Brand and RedBull, where Fulwiley is the first college athlete signed by both brands.
Fulwiley is represented by agent Dorian Branch of Excel Sports Management. Branch sets up all of Fulwiley’s deals so that all Fulwiley has to do is say yes or no and it doesn’t interfere with her work on the court.
Over the course of South Carolina’s postseason run, I talked to Fulwiley about how she chooses her endorsements and what she hopes to accomplish with her fame and fortune.
What is your deal with Red Bull like?
I’m a partner with them for four years and just doing great things in the community on the court and off the court. I feel like they’re gonna help me with doing great things off the court. That was a great deal for me. They’re gonna help me with my helping my community. And just doing great things like doing events and stuff just to help give back to my family and my friends.
Do you get free Red Bull (“Of Course”) and does everyone ask for it?
I can drink it right now so you can have as much as you want. The great thing with the deals is they give you so much that you can share. Unselfishly like you just give it away, you get it right back the next day. It’s crazy how it works, but I guess that’s what we worked for.
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Does the deal with Curry Brand control what shoes you wear?
The shoes I have to wear are Curry Brand but I can wear Under Armour as well. I don’t have to wear just Curry Brand.
Do you get a custom designs?
I get designs that haven’t dropped yet. Most of my shoes, it’d be like, this is a sample I’d be wearing. I just get all the shoes that are about to drop like it in a month or something like that. I just get everything. Every shoe they have in the closet, they just give to me. And I think soon I’m going to have my own player edition shoe. But I haven’t gotten into all that, not yet.
Has anybody been hitting you up trying to get shoes ahead of time?
All my friends, they’re like, you’ve got to hook me up with the Currys. I have so much, so if they’re serious I’ll give them away.
You mentioned community involvement for both endorsements., was that important to you?
Definitely. That was a big part of my goal and my plan and what I envisioned in my head and I just told them. They asked me what do I see them helping me with and I’ll give them my ideas. My mom, of course, she wants me to do all of these things where I grew up at it. I’m just so excited to have someone like my mom to make me visualize all these things so I can tell my collaborators and my partners. They are all in for it. They knew what type of person I was when they signed me. I think that they’re excited.
After South Carolina’s win over Oregon State in the Elite Eight there were fans lined up along the tunnel to get Fulwiley’s autograph. Two asked for her shoes, and Fulwiley slipped them off, signed them, and gave them to the young fans. I filmed most of the encounter, and the video went viral.
Later in the locker room, I asked Fulwiley why she did it.
Fans always ask me for my shoes after games. I usually have on some exclusive shoes that I can’t give away. Today I felt like those shoes, they were nice, but for them to have enough courage to ask me, I feel like I had to give it away. I get a lot of shoes. I get five or ten pairs a week. Giving away the pair of shoes I had on wouldn’t hurt. I love how much our fans love us and I’m appreciative to them so I can try to show my appreciation to them in any way possible.
