Duke Freshman Star Toby Fournier Signs Exclusive Leaf NIL Deal

Canadian 5-star, dunker and viral star to launch first trading card in October

Duke basketball practice during 2023-24 season at Cameron Indoor Stadium. / Rodd Baxley/The Fayetteville Observer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Although she has yet to step onto the Cameron Indoor Stadium hardwood for her Duke debut, 5-star recruit Toby Fournier (Crestwood Prep, Toronto) is already one of the most hyped college basketball players in the country. The Canadian star has been a viral sensation the past few years for her dunking prowess, now heading to Durham where she will be one of the few college basketball players who can throw down.

Ahead of her highly anticipated freshman campaign, Fournier has signed an exclusive trading card deal with Leaf, making major national and international NIL news. Since she is not a U.S. citizen, Leaf flew to Toronto to sign Fournier and shot a full commercial at her elementary school to announce the partnership. The 6'2" forward is now the only incoming women's basketball freshman with an exclusive trading card deal.

“It feels amazing to be recognized as a rising star in women’s sports as a college basketball player and I’m grateful to be featured alongside so many awesome athletes," Fournier shared. "It still feels like a dream that a young girl out there will be collecting my player card soon. I’m grateful that Leaf believes in me and supports my efforts to have a positive impact both on and off the court.”

Fournier - who came in as the No. 10 prospect in espnW’s Class of 2024 rankings - will first appear in Leaf cards in the brand's "Women of Sport" collection that launches in October. She will also be featured in multi-sport programs moving forward.

"Toby is a rare talent and a top-tier 5 star recruit at Duke, making this exclusive trading card partnership incredibly significant," said CJ Breen, Leaf's Director Of Marketing and Licensing. "It underscores Leaf’s commitment to the growth of women’s sports in the trading card industry. The collaboration has been outstanding and smooth, thanks to the efforts of Madeline Edwards and Dan Kuzmarov at Manifesto Sports & Entertainment. I’m excited to watch Toby shine this season at Duke and can’t wait for the moment she makes headlines with her first dunk."

Toby Fournier / Leaf Trading Cards

"Toby is one of the most dynamic players in the 2024 class," Duke women's basketball head coach Kara Lawson said when Fournier committed. "I've been watching her for a long time. She is very competitive. A lot of the discussion around Toby is her dunks and I understand why. She's an unbelievable athlete and she makes it look so easy. It's effortless. Her regular dunks are things people would only be able to do in practice and she's able to do them in-game. That's what separates her as a dunker – her in-game dunking and her ability to do it pretty much at any moment. But Toby is so much more than dunking."

Leaf has been on fire with their recent NIL signings, partnering with a diverse roster of athletes across the collegiate and high school levels, highlighted by their women stars. Their current roster of athletes include the likes of LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, Miami basketball twins Haley and Hanna Cavinder, UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers, defending National Champion Donovan Edwards of Michigan, Florida freshman starting quarterback DJ Lagway and 5-Star USC football commit Julian Lewis, among many others.

Duke's "Countdown to Craziness" season-opening festivities tip off on October 4 and fans will get their first official look at Fournier as a Blue Devil in their opener against Radford a month later.