College Basketball Stars JuJu Watkins and Rob Dillingham Play Ball with NerdWallet

College athletes are securing substantial brand deals in this new NIL era. It’s hard to believe that a few years ago student athletes were unable to receive compensation. The current estimated annual deals stand at $750 million and are projected to escalate to a staggering $3-5 billion by 2025. That’s why basketball stars JuJu Watkins and Rob Dillingham are playing ball with NerdWallet and they’ve both signed The Smartest NIL Deal Ever. We know what you’re thinking, what makes this deal different? Both athletes were contractually obligated to commit to a NerdWallet smart money decision as a part of the deal. The decisions that they were able to choose from can be found here. Juju chose to develop a budget and Rob opted to consult with a financial advisor. NerdWallet’s also doing things differently with contract transparency. Both Juju and Rob will share their contracts publicly, revealing the terms that they’ve agreed to with their fans and followers to help keep them accountable. 

NerdWallet Wallet Designed By the Shoe Surgeon

When dealing with money matters, a wallet is the perfect companion to serve as a physical reminder to make these smart money decisions. Dominic 'The Shoe Surgeon' Ciambrone created bespoke wallets for both athletes, who each had their own input in the design process and added their own special touches. The Shoe Surgeon is renowned for his unique and custom shoe craftsmanship that infuses product innovation and design. He has created custom shoes for celebrities including LeBron James, Drake, and Usher. A limited quantity of custom wallets are available in the NerdWallet merch store. 

 "As an athlete, I'm always looking for ways to level up my game," said college basketball star, JuJu Watkins. “Teaming up with NerdWallet is an exciting and natural move towards securing my financial future. NerdWallet puts the ball in my court by offering the guidance and tools to help me invest in myself”.

“For me, success is making the right choices both on and off the court and with the help of NerdWallet, I’m levelling up to more informed financial decisions,” said NCAA basketball star, Rob Dillingham. “I’m thrilled to have NerdWallet on my team and to work with a financial advisor to ensure the best use of my newly earned NIL deal money.”

"NerdWallet is all about empowering people to make confident financial decisions, and we are thrilled to engage JuJu Watkins and Rob Dillingham in a new, smart type of NIL deal that not only compensates the athletes but asks them to commit to making a smart money decision with their earnings,” said Erin Albertson, director of brand marketing at NerdWallet. “NerdWallet is excited to be a resource for JuJu and Rob as they set up their financial futures. Coming into an unexpected amount of money can be daunting and we hope the guidance in this deal can help anyone who experiences a financial windfall."

“College athletes are (finally) getting paid the money they deserve- but they haven’t always been given the right tools or opportunities to learn what to do with their earnings. So we saw this as the perfect opening for NerdWallet to come in with The Smartest NIL Deal Ever, ”said Ryan Lehr, co-chief creative officer at Deutsch LA. “As an added bonus JuJu and Robert were able to work with The Shoe Surgeon to design custom wallets. They’ll have a physical reminder of the financial commitments they’ve made. It’s a win win- and everyone likes winning in March."