South Carolina basketball star freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley has had a good week. The Columbia native was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, helped lead her Gamecock squad to an SEC Tournament championship, brought home the MVP from the SEC Tournament (the first freshman to win the honor since Candance Parker), and signed a cool NIL deal with a local business based on her nickname and social media handle.
Then, on Friday, another NIL came across Fulwiley's metaphorical desk: the greatest shooter in basketball history, Steph Curry, was signing her to a multi-year NIL deal that would include her own signature sneaker.
Fulwiley is the first collegiate athlete to sign directly with the Curry Brand at Under Armour. She will work as an ambassador to the brand, will work on promotional material, and will work with designers on at least one signature shoe. Fulwiley will wear Curry Brand shoes for the rest of her college career as part of the agreement, as well.
In a statement from Curry's camp, Fulwiley's work on the court, her history as a Camp Curry athlete, and her presence at an Under Armour school made the move possible.
Fulwiley's game has some similarities to her new business partner's game. Like Curry, Fulwiley is a smaller guard with excellent ballhandling skills who has the ability to finish at the rim as if she were a much bigger player. She has not yet experienced the shooting percentage success of Curry from behind the line, but like Steph, MiLaysia Fulwiley has seemingly endless range as a player who has to be guarded well beyond the 3-point arc.
Fulwiley's South Carolina basketball squad is waiting on Selection Sunday to see who will draw the misfortune of playing them in the 1st round. The Selection Sunday show will be broadcast on ESPN at 8:00.