Real athletes, real moves
A food truck. A barbershop for Dad. A house flip. Their own brands. A piece of a pro league. Real stories of athletes who used the money to keep making money, with the source for every one.
01
Football · Texas, now Colorado
A food truck for his family
He used NIL money to buy the truck for Jive Turkey, a family food truck his mother co-owns, which opened in Austin in 2023. His sister is working on a car rental business, and the family hopes to grow it into a restaurant.
The lesson Put the money into something that pays you back, and let family run it with you, not off you.
Source: Community Impact, The Associated Press
02
Basketball · Wofford, then South Carolina
A barbershop for his dad
His father ran a barbershop in Charlotte for 26 years until highway construction pushed him out. Mack used NIL earnings to help him reopen as House of Hoops in 2024, and the opening doubled as a shoe drive.
The lesson Helping family can be an investment, not just a gift: a business keeps paying long after a check is spent.
Source: AfroTech, WCCB Charlotte
03
Football · Ohio State
A house flip and a rental
Two teammates pooled NIL money to remodel their first house near downtown Columbus, planned to rent it out short-term, and started looking for the next one to flip.
The lesson Teammates can go in together. Real estate turns a one-time check into rent that keeps coming.
Source: CW Columbus
04
Beach volleyball · Arizona State
An apparel brand sold in campus stores
She started VBAmerica, a volleyball clothing brand, licensed it with her school, and got it into university stores. Her first pop-up shop sold $6,000 of merchandise, and she won $5,000 and $3,000 in startup grants.
The lesson Start small, sell in person, and use the free grants and programs your school already offers.
Source: ASU Entrepreneurship, ASU W. P. Carey
05
Baseball · Clemson
Their own hat brand
Two pitchers came up with an idea on a road trip and launched Cardiak Cats in 2025, limited-run hats sold on their own website. Instead of only getting paid to wear someone else's brand, they own theirs.
The lesson Getting paid to post is income. Owning the brand is an asset.
Source: Sports Illustrated
06
Softball · Texas Tech
A piece of a pro league
After Texas Tech deals worth more than $1 million, the most for any college softball player, she signed an NIL deal in 2026 with the Athletes Unlimited Softball League that pays her in equity: she owns part of the league.
The lesson Ask for ownership, not just a check. Equity can grow long after the playing days.
Source: AP via WTOP
07
High school basketball · St. Peter's Prep, New Jersey
A clothing line honoring Puerto Rico
Two players on Puerto Rico's under-17 team started Boricua Guards, a clothing line celebrating Puerto Rican basketball, while still in high school. Their first orders shipped to four states.
The lesson You do not have to wait for college or a big deal. Build around who you are and who supports you.
Source: ROI-NJ
08
Football · Georgia, now the NFL
Investment accounts, before the league
He earned about $160,000 in NIL deals at Georgia. After a wealth manager talked to the team, he stopped the get-money, spend-money habit: he saved, helped his parents, kept just enough for gas and a couple of meals out a month, and opened at least four investment accounts.
The lesson Saving is building too. The habit you set with the first check is the one you keep with the big one.
Source: Andscape
09
Track and field · Arkansas
An app that he owns
An All-American who also earned an MBA, he founded DapUp, an app that matches college athletes with businesses for NIL deals. He owns it outright and runs it with his brother.
The lesson Use school while you are there. The degree and the network can be worth more than the deals.
Source: University of Arkansas
10
Gymnastics · LSU
A fund that lifts other athletes
One of the highest-earning college athletes started The Livvy Fund in 2023 with LSU's collective to help other women athletes at her school land NIL deals.
The lesson Your name can open doors for teammates. Building a network is building wealth.
Source: UPI
What they have in common
They bought something that earns
A truck, a shop, a house, a brand, a share of a league. Not just things that lose value the day you buy them.
They kept it small at first
A pop-up, a limited hat run, one house. Prove it works before putting in more.
They put family to work, not on payroll
Family helped run it. Nobody got a salary for being around.
They set taxes aside first
NIL money has no taxes taken out. Business owners who forget that lose the business to the IRS.
Stories are summarized from the news reports linked on each one, as reported at the time. KeepMyCheck has no connection to these athletes or their businesses, and none of them endorse this site. Know a story we should add? Use the form on our schools page.
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25 moves for the first contract, the first NIL deal, and the family around it. Four pages. Print it, put it on the fridge.
