Hercy Miller, son of Master P was quick to take advantage of the newly updated NCAA rules allowing college athletes to generate revenue off their image. The incoming freshman at Tennessee State University, a historically Black institution nestled in Nashville, has signed a $2 million name-image-likeness (NIL) deal with a rising tech company. Front Office Sports revealed that Miller inked the deal with the Los Angeles-based Web Apps America.
Last month, Miller revealed his decision to play ball at his HBCU despite being scouted by larger and more popular collegiate sports programs.
“I know with me, I can change the narrative. People think that you just need to go to a big school to become a pro or just to be great and that’s not true,” he said. “A lot of great people came out of HBCUs [historically Black colleges and universities] and mid-majors; just they don’t have the same spotlight. So, with me, I just wanted to make a change. I wanted to be different.”
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During an interview with TMZ Sports, the 19-year-old and his hip-hop mogul father discussed the deal and what this means for the future student athlete.
“It was a 2 million dollar deal. It’s incredible. This is gonna change the way college athletes want to stay in school,” said the “Make ‘Em Say Ugh” rapper.
“I signed a deal with an American technology company,” added Hercy. “Like my dad said, it’s a blessing. I learned from my dad, I’m gonna start off by giving back to the community and everyone around me.”
According to the report, the deal had been in the works for some time. The family and company awaited a rule change before making it official.
CBS Sports reported Hercy Miller is not the only athlete to quickly take advantage of the NCAA rule change. Dozens of college athletes have entered partnerships with Yoke, a platform that allows athletes to play video games against others. Other eager undergrads have turned to Cameo, which allows fans to pay for specially recorded video messages.
Some of the announced deals include Haley and Hanna Cavinder, sisters and basketball players at Fresno State. The pair has gained a huge following on Tik Tok and signed a deal with Boost Mobile and have uploaded an ad for a nutrition company on social media. Trey Knox, a receiver for Arkansas (and his dog, Blue) has inked a partnership with PetSmart. Bo Nix, Auburn’s starting quarterback has revealed a brand deal with Milo’s Sweet Tea.
VIBE reached out to Web Apps America for an official statement on the deal. The company has not responded to our request for comment.