Adidas signs first NIL deal with girls’ high school basketball player

Adidas has signed one of its youngest female athletes yet.

The German sports apparel brand on Thursday announced the signing of Kaleena Smith as its first high school girl’s basketball partner under a name, image and likeness, or NIL, deal.

Smith, a 16-year old sophomore in Ontario, California, is the highest-rated recruit in the class of 2027. She has already received nearly 20 college offers from programs including the University of Southern California, the University of Louisville, the University of Connecticut, the University of California, Los Angeles, Louisiana State University and the University of South Carolina.

The young basketball phenomenon represents Candace Parker’s first signing since she took over as president of Adidas women’s basketball in May. Parker, a former first-round WNBA draft pick, played 16 seasons in the WNBA and is a three-time WNBA champion and seven-time WNBA All-Star.

Adidas tapped her to help evolve the company’s women’s basketball business.

“Signing Kaleena as our first high school NIL women’s basketball athlete is a pivotal moment for us as we lead in championing women’s sports and building greater access to and representation in the game that we all love,” Parker said.

Adidas said Smith will represent the brand on the court during all her games with Ontario Christian High School, in addition to her AAU team. She represents one of Adidas’ youngest athletes. The brand signed its youngest current athlete, 15-year-old soccer star Chloe Ricketts, in March.

“I’m blessed to be part of something Candace is creating, and to get to do that with a brand like Adidas who is taking a different approach to play a role to help grow the game for players like me,” Smith said.

The 5-foot-6 point guard was the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year, averaging 34.9 points, 6.5 assists and 4.2 steals per game.

Smith said she’s looking forward to wearing James Harden’s Adidas sneakers this season.

While Smith is the first girl’s high school athlete to represent Adidas, the brand has signed deals with a roster of women basketball players including Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper, Aliyah Boston, Aaliyah Edwards, Nneka Ogwumike, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Layshia Clarendon, Sophie Cunningham, Erica Wheeler, Zia Cooke, Alysha Clark and Janiah Barker.

Adidas has been busy in the NIL space recently.

The brand signed Miami quarterback Cam Ward last month to a deal. In August, it announced the signing of six Texas Tech athletes as part of Patrick Mahomes’ NIL initiative with Adidas. The brand also signed 15 female student-athletes to NIL deals in July 2022 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Title IX.