In the first half of the semifinals of the Albany Regional, South Carolina Gamecocks forward Chloe Kitts showcased her prowess, scoring 21 points at the MVP Arena. With the Gamecocks merely four wins away from potentially achieving a perfect season—a feat accomplished by only nine other NCAA women’s basketball teams—Kitts has emerged as a key player, showing significant growth in her sophomore season at South Carolina.
While Coach Staley has coached a steady roster of talented young women, the 19-year-old forward has taken a new stride into the realm of NIL deals, carving out her worth in the process.
Chloe Kitts cashing in NIL money
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During her freshman year, Chloe Kitts was ranked in the top 20 of the 2023 recruiting class. She signed a contract with Excel Sport Management. Kitts made her NIL debut under the careful supervision of Excel Sports Management’s vice president of women’s sports, Erin Kane. On March 27, 2023, she signed a contract with Powerade, owned by the Coca-Cola Company, sold as a sports drink the brand competes against Gatorade.
Last year, Kitts signed a second agreement with Carolina Rise, a NIL collective based in South Carolina that was established in May 2022 with a $5.5 million founding capital. It was on February 8, 2024, that Carolina Rise collaborated with the SC’s teen player. Despite her stellar performance throughout the season, Kitts’ exact NIL earnings remain somewhat ambiguous reported On3.com. Now, as her NCAA career picks up speed more NIL deals are expected to fall on her lap as she headlines in Sweet 16 match-ups.
Slow yet steady climb
At 19 minutes per game on average, Chloe Kitts is firmly established in Coach Staley’s team rotation. In one of the most important games of this season, she scored 7 of the first 11 points against LSU in February. Early on during March Madness, top-seeded South Carolina overcame the absence of stars Bree Hall and Kamilla Cardoso to defeat No. 16 Presbyterian in the opening round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
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Kitts scored 21 points in the 91-39 victory, making all nine of her shots, matching her career high. With a game-high 13 rebounds, Kitts also controlled the boards, recording her fifth double-double of the year.
READ MORE Who is South Carolina’s #21? Everything You Need to Know About Chloe Kitts
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In the most recent first half of the semi-final match against the Indiana Hoosiers, Gamecocks Chloe Kitts kept up with her impressive performance, earning 21 points, with the thrilling final ending in a 79-75 win for the team. The young, promising star Chloe Kitts’s NIL deals will skyrocket if she keeps on impressing on the court, although currently, it’s another tight battle in the NIL prospects leaderboard.
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