Rising sister soccer stars Alyssa and Gisele Thompson are first to sign high school NIL deal with Nike
California sisters who play with USA national youth soccer teams are the first high school athletes to sign a name, image and likeness deal with Nike.
Alyssa and Gisele Thompson of Harvard Westlake High School in Los Angeles signed a multiyear deal with Nike, according to A&V Sports' Evan Sroka, who represents the sisters. Both sisters are committed to play for Stanford after high school. Terms of the deal weren't announced.
Alyssa, a junior, started for USA's U-20 team that won the Concacaf championship in March. Gisele, a sophomore, started for the U-17 USA team that also secured a Concacaf championship on May 8.
Nike has signed sisters Alyssa & Gisele Thompson to multi-year deals. This marks Nike's first High School NIL deal.
Both sisters are members of the US National Team system and are committed to @StanfordWSoccer
via @NickDePaula pic.twitter.com/NDyigwn4js— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) May 17, 2022
NIL deals have opened the door for college athletes who otherwise wouldn't get paid to profit off their name, image and likeness. California regulations allow high school athletes the same benefit. The Thompsons aren't allowed to wear Harvard Westlake gear in any NIL activity, The Los Angeles Times reports. Sroka told the Times that the sisters worked out the deal alongside Stanford to ensure that they would maintain their NCAA eligibility.
Nike's first NIL deal of any kind was also with a women's soccer player. It signed UCLA sophomore Reilyn Turner to an NIL deal in December.