Middle and high school basketball players from North and South Carolina gathered recently at the historic Second Ward High School Gymnasium in uptown Charlotte for a showcase that blended competition with education — and highlighted the growing role of money in all levels of youth sport.
The event, hosted by the Wisdom Foundation as part of its second annual “Business of Basketball,” offered not only court time but also financial advice on a rapidly expanding landscape: name, image and likeness deals for high school athletes looking to get paid by sponsors.
These opportunities — widely known as NIL deals — have been available to college athletes since 2021. North Carolina began allowing high school athletes to sign NIL deals last year.
“I think that that’s what NIL is doing — it’s allowing you to put value on yourself, and put yourself in a better situation because of the work that you’ve put in,” said Jim Gatehouse, a senior at South Mecklenburg High School.
Gatehouse hasn’t signed an NIL deal and says he doesn’t think about them during games. But he and other players acknowledged the possibilities are becoming harder to ignore.
“Especially going into college, it definitely becomes… it just stands out more,” he said. “Not a lot of kids in North Carolina get a real NIL deal where they’re getting paid or something. But as you get into college, it becomes more prevalent.”
Few deals so far — but big potential
During the last school year, only 12 North Carolina high school athletes signed NIL agreements. Most were modest, valued at around $10,000 or simply the monetary worth of an endorsed product. But one student — believed to be a Greensboro quarterback — reportedly signed a deal exceeding $1 million.
For organizers like Wisdom Foundation founder Marvin Wilson, that spike in potential earnings underscores the need for education.
“Right now we’re seeing kids getting six‑figure deals in ninth and 10th grade,” Wilson said. “And if you really don’t want to get the bad end of a deal or sign something that might come back to bite you, you might want to start getting somebody who understands contracts.”
He said he created the event to help students navigate that landscape responsibly.
“Now, it’s the wild, wild west,” Wilson said. “Money is money, but accountability and management comes with money.”
Parents at the showcase said NIL deals represent exciting possibilities — as long as students stay focused on academics and responsibility.
Kevin Concepcion Sr., seated high in the bleachers, said his oldest son, Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion, benefited from using an agency to handle NIL opportunities. He hopes his younger son, 14‑year‑old basketball player Lloyd Concepcion, will have similar chances in high school.
“It kind of changes the game for a lot of the youth growing up now,” he said. “When I was growing up — even when I played college ball — NIL, it was unheard of.”
Juanita Estwick said she supports the idea for her son Wilson, a senior at North Mecklenburg High School, who she describes as a scholar first.
“At the end of the day, all these bigger schools… are making so much money from these athletes,” Estwick said. “This is a good opportunity for them to put some of that money in their pockets… to change the trajectory of their lives and to give back to the community.”
Athletes say mindset hasn’t shifted yet
Even with new opportunities emerging, some students said the day‑to‑day reality hasn’t changed much.
“There are a lot of brands on Instagram… trying to grow NIL, looking to get high school athletes,” said James Wood, a senior at Carmel Christian High School. “So it’s definitely a thought… but I think it’s not too big yet for a lot of kids in high school, so it’s not too much to think about.”
For now, they say, NIL deals remain something to consider — but not something that dictates how they play.
