Thank you for your continued support of this newsletter. Please share with anyone who would be interested in this content.

Follow Sports Court on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube for more NIL content!

Today’s Case

Georgia high school QB phenom Julian Lewis signs first major NIL deal with Leaf Trading Cards

Georgia now allows high school athletes to monetize their NIL - and one of the state’s biggest stars is now capitalizing.

The 2026 USC commit signed his first NIL deal with Leaf Trading Cards. The agreement was arranged by Everett Sports Marketing, who does not formally represent Lewis but assisted with his first notable endorsement deal. Dan Everett of Everett Sports Marketing states, “This is a significant six-figure deal at first-round NFL quarterback values on the per signature basis.”

As trading cards have become a popular activation for college athletes and are now trickling down to high school sports, signing Lewis is a major win for Leaf, which is releasing a NextGen card with the quarterback as part of the agreement.

Leaf has made significant waves in the NIL space over the past two years - mostly working with USC Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams, LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne and UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers.

The Verdict

• Inevitable for Georgia high schoolers to maximize their opportunity ASAP

  • With Lewis being a big star in the state, it was only a matter of time before a player would sign a significant NIL deal after Georgia legalized it.

    • This will be the first of many significant deals for high school players in the Peach State, as Georgia is headquarters for numerous Fortune 500 companies. (Coca-Cola, UPS, Home Depot, etc.)

• Props to Lewis and his family staying in state

  • With high school athletes moving to states that allow NIL at the high school, kudos to the Lewis family for staying put and waiting out the state’s decision.

    • This decision will most likely keep more high-profile athletes in Georgia to maximize their opportunities.

  • ESPN featured Lewis and his family in an article this past February regarding NIL, with Julian’s father T.C. Lewis estimating his son could make $500,000 on the low end while in high school, with the high end topping out at $1.5 million.

• Opening the floodgates

  • With his first major NIL deal coming to fruition, look for Lewis to sign additional partnerships (most notably with major brands) over the next 2.5 years before he heads to college.

    • Also, his decision to attend USC will prove to be valuable, as Los Angeles will provide him many NIL opportunities.

LSU basketball ball Angel Reese signs NIL deal with Reebok

Reese adds a longterm partnership to her NIL portfolio. Watch this video for more!

Thank You for reading today’s newsletter

<sup>I discuss insights and news related to name, image and likeness in 3 minutes or less every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12p ET/9a PT.

Please share with anyone who might be interested in this content.</sup>