Former UNC star Deja Kelly adds another major brand NIL deal
Former North Carolina women’s basketball star Deja Kelly has a brand that resonates with companies, even if it is unclear where she will play next season.
Kelly announced a new NIL deal with Bazooka gum on Monday to her more than 1.2 million followers on social media. The post featuring a cartoon version of Kelly with a “That Portfolio Poppin” caption quickly went viral with thousands of likes and impressions across her Instagram, TikTok and X accounts.
Deja Kelly entered portal after ‘draining’ season
Deja Kelly announced her transfer in early April from UNC after averaging more than 16 points in each of the last three seasons for the Tar Heels. She started in 120 of 121 games she played in over four seasons with UNC. During her time at UNC, she led the Tar Heels to the NCAA Tournament each season – including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2022 when she was a sophomore.
Kelly played 35 minutes or more in each of UNC’s final 17 games in 2023-2024. She led the team in scoring with 16.3 points per game on 34.6% shooting. She was named to the all-ACC first team for the third season in a row.
Expectations were high for the Tar Heels this season as they began the year ranked No. 16 in the preseason poll, but injuries piled up and derailed UNC from reaching its potential. Kelly went on to finish with an average of 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and three assists per game during her career in Chapel Hill.
“Honestly, this was one of the most mentally draining years, for me personally, which can mean a lot of different things,” Kelly said after UNC lost to South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. “We’re not asking anyone to feel sorry for us, but it was a lot of ups and downs.”
At this point, it’s unclear where Deja Kelly will end up. LSU has been linked to her, according to multiple reports.
Wherever she ends up, she’ll bring one of the strongest NIL resumes in college basketball. She ranks in the top 10 in On3’s Women’s College Basketball NIL Ranking, and she’s landed NIL brand deals with top companies like Keurig, State Farm, Tommy Hillfiger, crocs, Beats by Dre, Actively Black and many others. Plus, with her talent, she’ll also surely have some Roster Value and could generate NIL funds from a collective.