Kiki Iriafen’s basketball journey kicked off in eighth grade, a late spark for a girl who once saw the court as a man’s domain and dreamed of wielding a stethoscope instead of a jump shot. “I played a little in eighth grade but before then I was always interested in becoming a doctor. That was my goal,” Iriafen said. “I really didn’t do much in athletics or other activities other than student body government.”

Born to Nigerian parents—Yemi, a home health consultant, and Harrison, an agricultural business owner—neither of whom were athletes, Iriafen’s drive came from within. However, her athletic cousins on her dad’s side and her siblings do hint at a family spark. Her 14-year-old brother Shuby kicks soccer balls, while her 11-year-old sister Oyikan follows the same path as Kiki.

Raised in a household where A’s were as crucial as rebounds, she turned into a relentless worker, hitting the books and the boards with equal intensity. By 2020, she was one of the nation’s top juniors, a Harvard-Westlake standout with a 4.3 GPA, juggling AP Literature, Statistics, and Human Geography after acing Computer Science and Environmental Science the year prior. Now a USC Trojans star, Iriafen’s grounded roots and family support have made her a basketball and soon-to-be NIL sensation.

What are Kiki Iriafen’s NIL deals as of 2025? 

In 2025, the NIL landscape is wilder than ever. Top earners can pull in millions, with women’s basketball stars like Iriafen riding the wave. And with Power Five schools set to share $20 million in revenue per team starting fall 2025, Iriafen’s earnings will only soar higher. No exact valuations are public, but her deals suggest that if not now, she will soon be in the elite league.

According to On3, Kiki Iriafen had a NIL deal with the Lifetime Cardinal – An independently owned NIL collective of Stanford, which offers student-athletes opportunities for income and programs to help advance a professional career outside athletics.

And just days ago, USC’s women’s basketball team scored a historic team-wide NIL deal with Chipotle—the first of its kind for the chain. Iriafen, with stars like JuJu Watkins, got her own personalized “Kiki Iriafen Bowl” (brown rice, half chicken, half steak, pinto beans, fresh tomato salsa, roasted-chili corn salsa, and tomatillo-green chili salsa) on the Chipotle app and website. “We’re always training hard… so having a meal option that’s both delicious and packed with protein is perfect,” teammate Watkins said, an emotion that Iriafen definitely echoes. Each of the 15 Trojans will also receive a VIP card for free Chipotle all season long, but for Iriafen, it’s more than free burritos.

Chipotle’s “Fight On” digital menu, launched in March 2025 for the NCAA Tournament, keeps Iriafen’s bowl front and center, available exclusively online during USC’s tourney run. “Each entrée represents how these elite athletes trust Chipotle for proper nutrition,” said Chris Brandt, Chipotle’s chief brand officer. With Iriafen averaging 18.2 points and 8.3 rebounds in the 2024-25 season, her athleticism makes her a perfect fit. While her individual payout isn’t public, the team deal’s scope—marketing campaigns, digital menu features, and that VIP perk—hints at a hefty value, likely pushing her NIL earnings into the top tier of women’s college hoops.

Which high school did Kiki Iriafen attend? 

Kiki attended the Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles where she became the all-time scoring and rebounding leader of the school. Dropping 2,454 points and grabbing 1,655 rebounds, she smashed school records. “When Kiki was a freshman I knew she was special,” her coach Melissa Hearlihy once said. “Tall and growing, very athletic, already had great hands and was solid around the basket. I was sure she was a division one athlete but at the highest level was going to be up to her.”

And she has consistently proved her right. A two-time Los Angeles Daily News Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American, Iriafen capped her junior year with a CIF Southern Section Division 1 title, earning Player of the Year honors to boot. Rated a five-star recruit by ESPN and ranked the 19th best player in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz, she had the likes of UConn, Baylor, and UCLA knocking on her door, but she chose Stanford. However, Kiki’s ability to multitask is not just limited to the court as she also maintained a 4.3 GPA in high school making her one of the most complete student-athletes we’ve seen.

What is Kiki Iriafen’s net worth and salary?

As a college athlete in 2025, she’s not pocketing a salary—NCAA rules still hold that line. But her net worth? That’s where NIL steals the show. Exact figures are locked tighter than a Trojans defense, but Analysts estimate top women’s basketball players like Iriafen can pull in six or even seven figures annually through NIL, and her resume—Pac-12 Most Improved Player, 2024 Katrina McClain Award winner—puts her in that elite bracket.