Elite 2024 Guard Johnuel ‘Boogie’ Fland a Trailblazer for High School NIL Deals

After securing his first NIL deal, Fland said others are in the works for the new year.

Boogie Fland is one of the most dynamic guards in the 2024 class.  :: Lonnie Webb / Stepinac Athletics

LEXINGTON, S.C. – It’s not that Johnuel “Boogie” Fland was surprised by the support, it’s just that it’s still surreal to him that he actually has a clothing line.

That’s why when Fland’s Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) teammate Sam Gibbs came to the hotel lobby for team dinner sporting Fland’s “Boogie” T-shirt Monday night, Fland was legitimately in a brief state of shock.

“It’s still pretty crazy to me,” Fland said. “Just having a brand and having an endorsement deal, it’s like a dream sometimes. I still can’t believe it.”

In July, the NCAA voted to allow college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL) and as a result more than half a dozen states, including New York and California, expanded the policy to include high school athletes.

Fland, 15, was one of just two high school athletes to sign a sponsorship deal with Spreadshop, which enables him to create his brand on the organization’s platform.

The four-figure deal spans six months and requires Fland to post once a weekly promoting his brand and mentioning Spreadshop.

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“They reached out to my family, and it just went from there,” Fland said. “I won’t lie, I was pretty shocked when they reached out. I mean, I’m 15, so it’s not something you hear every day.”

To that end, Archbishop Stepinac partnered with Accelerate Sports Ventures to help Fland and other student athletes navigate the NIL waters.

Fland said more NIL deals could be announced in the new year.

“I haven’t seen the hype around a freshman and a sophomore at his level in a long time in the city,” said Archbishop Stepinac coach Patrick Massaroni said. “His biggest jump from his freshman to sophomore year has been his maturity. His head could be blown out of proportion with the attention he gets on and off the court, but he’s stayed Boogie. He’s even more dialed in, he’s an even better listener, he knows that this is the time to really lock in and grow. That’s a credit to he and his parents.”

Fland earned his moniker “Boogie” from his dance moves at family parties when he was 5, it’s stuck with him over the years because of his propensity to dominate on the hardwood with the traditional New York City point guard flare.

Fland is a super shifty two-way point guard with a keen eye as a playmaker and efficient three-level scoring ability, making him a devastating defensive assignment for the opposition.

He’s sidelined with a back injury for the Chick-fil-A Classic this week but expects to be back on the court “in the next couple of weeks.”

This season, Fland is pumping in 18 points, five rebounds and five assists a game for the Crusaders. That was a carryover from a strong summer in the Nike EYBL, averaging 14 points, seven rebounds and five rebounds for the PSA Cardinals (N.Y.).

That production has everyone from Duke to Kentucky to Michigan to UCLA, among many others, reaching out with offers and heavy interest.

“The sales of the merchandise are going really well, even better than I thought, but I know none of this would be possible without being able to produce,” Fland said. “All of this shows me what hard work can get you and it really just makes me focus more and go even harder. Even with all of this stuff with the endorsements and the hype and all of that I know what has to come first. It’s easy for me because I love the game.”