UCLA International Signs NIL Deal Ahead of Olympics

Betterguards partners with Bruins women's basketball forward Lina Sontag, who will represent Germany in Summer Games

Dec 30, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Lina Sontag (21) celebrates after a basket as USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) look on in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Ahead of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, one college athlete is finally getting into the NIL game. International athlete Lina Sontag - who just completed her sophomore season at UCLA and will represent Germany at the Games - has signed a marketing deal with German-born brand Betterguards, a next-generation sports tech company that is pioneering advancements in injury prevention, recovery, and athlete performance.

Since Sontag isn't a U.S. citizen, she wasn't able to engage in active NIL opportunities while state-side at UCLA, but during her Olympic preparation with the Germany National Team, she signed a deal with Betterguards, who is a partner of both the women's and men's teams.

An authentic brand partnership if there ever was one, Sontag wore The BetterGuard ankle braces during her sophomore season, that included multiple appearances for the German National Team to help them qualify for Paris, while balancing her UCLA course load and a Sweet 16 run for the Bruins.

"I thought Betterguards would be the perfect fit for me since I’ve been dealing with ankle issues and instability throughout my basketball career," Sontag shared with Sports Illustrated. "I’ve tried many ankle braces that have either felt bulky or caused me other issues and since I am allergic to tape, that wasn’t an option either. Betterguards isn’t bulky and fits like a glove. I use them every day for practice and games."

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A post shared by Lina Sontag (@lina.sntg)

Sontag is currently wearing a special edition version of the brand's The BetterGuard 2.0 ankle brace, that includes the German flag on it. The new iteration - which is slimmer, lighter, and faster - is currently only available for pro and Olympic teams until July 31, when it will launch to the general public.

Since launching the first version last summer, Betterguards has over 10,000 athletes worldwide in more than 30 countries who trust The BetterGuard, including athletes across the NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, and dozens of colleges and universities.

"Lina's journey to the Olympics is a testament to her hard work and determination," shared Eric Barrett, Betterguards' Executive VP of Sales & Marketing. "She represents the next generation of athletes prioritizing innovative sports technology to prevent injuries and recover faster. As a German-born company, Betterguards is proud to support forward-thinking athletes worldwide, like Lina, who push boundaries to achieve greatness."

Sontag now joins a Betterguards athlete roster that includes fellow Germany players Franz and Mo Wagner, both of the Orlando Magic. Additional athletes are Chicago Bulls lottery pick Matas Buzelis, Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions, JoJo Phillips of BYU and Jack Bech of TCU, among others,

The Olympic Opening Ceremonies kick off the Games on July 26 with Sontag's German National Team tipping group play on the 29th versus Belgium. Germany faces the US on August 4 for their final group play matchup.