One of the nation’s top basketball prospects has inked a NIL deal with trading card company Topps. Chet Holmgren, the number 1 ranked HS prospect in 2021 by ESPN, agreed to terms Wednesday to produce physical and digital trading cards in his likeness with the sports card manufacturer. The agreement is reportedly the most lucrative NIL deal Topps has made with a college athlete to date.
In the company’s press release, the 7’1” Gonzaga freshman stated “I am beyond excited to be partnering with such an iconic company like Topps who has showcased some of the best athletes in the world over the last 80 years… I’m looking forward to teaming up with Topps as they continue to capture the action of the game and I’m excited to share my passion of basketball with fans and collectors around the world.”
Collectors can expect a set similar in nature to Topps’ previous collaboration with Trevor Lawrence with a player curated set, artist based set, autographed cards, and more. The project will also include a special limited edition card with 100% of the proceeds going to a charity of Holmgren’s choice.
A projected top 3 draft pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Holmgren is currently averaging 13.4pts/8.4reb/3.4blk/2.2ast per game in Mark Few’s offense. The Bulldogs are currently 14-2 on the year and are the nation’s number 2 ranked team in the latest polls.
The 19 year old Minneapolis native will also assist Topps in creating social media content moving forward as part of the deal as well.
Topps VP and GM of Global Sports & Entertainment David Leiner added “At Topps, we are always looking for ways to expand our reach to new audiences and celebrate the hardworking, determined athletes across all areas of sports on both a professional and collegiate level… This new partnership with Chet marks an exciting new addition to our product portfolio, and we’re thrilled to continue to introduce sports fans and collectors, both old and new, to our trading cards through another innovative collaboration.”
The deal marks the first NIL agreement Topps has announced since it was acquired by Fanatics earlier this year.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner