The University of Kentucky men’s basketball team has been experiencing a late-season resurgence both on and off the court. Head coach John Calipari recently announced that his team has signed NIL (name, image, likeness) deals with a national advertiser, while two key players, Jacob Toppin and Chris Livingston, have signed their own nationwide campaigns.
Morgan & Morgan, a top injury law firm and partner of UK Athletics, has made an agreement with the entire roster. Last season, they had a digital billboard campaign in Times Square and put up permanent billboards around Kentucky during the season.
This season, the partnership between Morgan & Morgan and the UK men’s basketball team is back leading up to postseason play. The details of the deal have not been disclosed, but it’s a significant step forward for the players and the program as a whole.
Toppin and Livingston have signed individual endorsement deals. Livingston partnered with Beats by Dre, a top headphone and speaker company. Toppin partnered with AT&T for a new campaign.
These deals come as Toppin and Livingston have been making significant contributions to Kentucky’s recent success on the court. Both forwards had double-doubles in the Wildcats’ recent Quad 1 victory over Florida, with Toppin scoring 19 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, and Livingston adding 10 points and a whopping 15 rebounds. Livingston was also named SEC Freshman of the Week for his performance.
The Wildcats’ on-court success has been rewarded with off-court opportunities for their players, and the program continues to be a leader in adapting to the changing landscape of college athletics.
The Wildcats return to Rupp Arena Saturday when they host the Auburn Tigers at 4pm.
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