High School Basketball Star Agrees to NIL Deal with Major Clothing Manufacturer

A member of the 2025 high school basketball class has signed his first NIL deal with a major clothing company.

High school basketball player Xaviel Rodriguez surrounding by packages during a photo shoot with Contenders Clothing. / Contenders Clothing

A lot of the focus when it comes to NIL deals being signed has been on college athletes. It has forever changed the way schools recruit players, as a form of free agency has been created. But, college athletes aren’t the only ones cashing in.

There are some high school athletes, depending on what state they are attending school in and the kind of school it is, who is also making the most of their name, image and likeness. One top player who has recently taken advantage is Xaviel Rodriguez.

He happens to attend school now in Colorado, which is one of 31 states that allow student-athletes to benefit from their NIL. A star at Denver’s Accelerated Prep, Rodriguez has signed a deal with Contenders Clothing.

A lifestyle clothing brand, they also have partnerships with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Tyson Fury. Rodriguez is their first and only basketball player that Contenders Clothing has an NIL deal with.

“Contenders is a growth e-commerce company building a transformative digital entertainment apparel experience and changing the way fans discover, interact, and purchase entertainment merch,” said Rodriguez, via the press release. “I’m super excited about this deal and hope it will help me get the recognition to continue hooping beyond high school.”

Based out of Rodriguez’s hometown of Las Vegas, he was the perfect candidate to become their first basketball representative. As part of their agreement, he will appear in commercials and collaborations on social media.

His first was doing a photo shoot in collaboration with Sports Illustrated that was featured on their Instagram page.

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Deals similar to the one Rodriguez has with Contenders Clothing have become popular in the NIL age. Companies are attaching themselves to rising stars, and the athletes benefit from putting some money in their pockets and growing their own brands.

“There are so many possibilities because of this now. It's an exciting time for high school athletes like me who can use such opportunities in their own unique way. I think it’s cool,” said Rodriguez. “At the end of the day, however, my main goal is to win basketball games and get to the next stage of my career.”  

On the basketball court, Rodriguez had a solid 2023-24 season with Accelerated Prep. He averaged 15 points, three assists, four rebounds, one block and one steal across 21 games. His efficiency was excellent, as he made 60 percent of his shots overall, 42 percent from 3-point range and 86 percent from the foul line.

In November, his senior season will tip off. Accelerated Prep will once again be playing in the Grind Session, which goes through March and features some of the most elite high school teams around the country. Already garnering attention for his performance on the court, he will be gaining plenty off of it because of Contender Clothing.