Beats by Dre signs Isaiah Collier, Kiki Rice as latest NIL partners

Jeremy Crabtreeby:Jeremy Crabtree•12/18/23•

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Isaiah Collier – a freshman guard at USC who ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2023 – has a new NIL partnership with Beats by Dre. Collier joins UCLA star women’s basketball player Kiki Rice as part of the “Beats Academy” campaign.

In a commercial tagged “Always On It” to promote the NIL deal, Collier is first shown painting flowers in Trojans’ cardinal and gold colors.

He’s asked by a coach if he should be training, and then the camera transitions to Collier draining shots while wearing Beats by Dre headphones.

The scene then shifts to him explaining advanced geometry to his teammates on a whiteboard, playing a video game, and lifting weights before panning out to show him doing all of the tasks at the same time.

“Isaiah, this is amazing,” a coach says in response.

The caption for the commercial is perfectly tagged, “Well rounded.”

Isaiah Collier was Five-Star Plus+ recruit

Coming out of Marietta (Georgia) Wheeler High School, Isaiah Collier was the nation’s headline prospect in the Class of 2023 and the Naismith High School Player of the Year.

“It’s great to have a guy who is highly regarded as he is but still working and approaching the game on a daily basis,” Wheeler coach Larry Thompson said before Collier’s senior season. “That dude is a hard worker. He is humble. He competes, and he makes everyone around him better. His calling card is getting better every single day. The younger guys, and it is crazy to say he is one of the older guys now, see how he carries himself and want to follow that trend.”

Collier committed to the Trojans over Michigan, Cincinnati and UCLA. He’s made an instant impact at USC as a true freshman. Collier is averaging 17 points this season for the Trojans, and he’s topped 20 points twice.

He signed an NIL representation partnership with CAA Sports – Creative Artists Agency – in July. Based out of Los Angeles, CAA has a long list of NBA clients, including Zion Williamson, Paul George, Chris Paul and Kyle Kuzma. The agency has also been active in the NIL market with college players. Collier has an On3 NIL Valuation of $587,000, which ranks No. 99 in the On3 NIL 100.

Kiki Rice successful on, off court with NIL

Kiki Rice, the former Gatorade High School Player of the Year, is averaging 13.3 points as a sophomore. As a freshman, he started in 36 games for the Bruins, averaging 11.6 points in 28.1 minutes. Rice was the first freshman since Jordin Canada to have 400-plus points, 100-plus assists and 100-plus made free throws in her inaugural season at UCLA.

Rice has been a smashing success through NIL with a long list of deals with top brands such as Wescom Credit Union, Hibbett Sports, Buick and Dove. She was also tabbed as Jordan Brand’s first-ever NIL athlete in 2022.

“Being Jordan Brand’s first NIL athlete is an incredible milestone, and I think it’s a testament to the hard work I’ve put in and all the people around me who have helped me get to this point,” Rice said at the time. “Signing with the Jordan Brand is another motivating factor for me to continue to work hard and achieve my goals.” 

Adding Beats by Dre is another sign that she’s got one of the best brands in college basketball. Her commercial with Beats focuses on “being super.” The spot shows Rice on the basketball court performing superhero-style moves and shots.

Beats by Dre active in NIL

Beats made its most significant investment in NIL heading into the start of the college football season.

The audio software company has formally launched its inaugural “Beats Elite” class, signing NIL deals with 15 college football players. The athletes will be featured across various marketing campaigns and wear custom Beats products.

It’s one of the boldest NIL campaigns seen to date, spanning across the college football landscape. Beats has tapped some of the biggest names in the sport but also, strategically, partnered with athletes with some of the largest social media followings.

The 15 athletes have a combined 3.3 million social media followers, something brands prioritize in major marketing campaigns. Each athlete has since posted about the deal on their platforms.

Since the inception of NIL in 2021, Beats has emerged as a heavy spender in college sports. The brand has previously partnered with the likes of Bijan Robinson and Bronny James.