Here are the first two things you need to know about high school athletes in New Jersey taking advantage of Name, Image and Likeness opportunities:
- It is legal for them to participate — provided they do not promote their brands at events associated with your team;
- There generally isn’t a whole lot of money involved – perhaps nothing more than free food at a local restaurant that they’re representing.
The impact, however, can still be far reaching – and have greater meaning.
Consider junior basketball players Richie Rosa and Mason Santiago at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City. They took advantage of NIL to create a clothing brand, Boricua Guards, that celebrates the legacy of Puerto Ricans playing basketball at the highest levels.
Members of the Puerto Rico U17 national team, the two are familiar with the country’s basketball history — Felipe Lopez and J.J. Barea for an older generation; Carlos Arroya, Jose Alvardo and Tremont Waters for those younger.
The Boricua Guards brand is not so much an effort to raise money as it is to raise awareness about those stars — and future generations.
“The brand represents unity,” Santiago said. “It’s not just about Richie and me. It’s about the players that we look up to and the younger players who look up to us.
“We are trying to bring attention to all the Puerto Rican guards. There’s a lot of Hispanic talent in the world; we are trying to bring everyone together.”
The Boricua Guards clothing line, which features T-shirts and sweatsuits, is in its infancy. A web site still is being developed. For now, sales come through an Instagram account. And like Santiago and Rosa, who are drawing attention from college coaches, the brand is getting noticed — around the country.
The first orders, which were being shipped this month, came from New Jersey as well as Florida, Arizona and California.
***
Bob Zito is the managing partner of IPZ, a sports agency firm in Tewksbury that manages college players and professional athletes. He represents former Rutgers center Cliff Omoruyi, among others.
Zito said he had no intention of representing high school athletes, but he changed his mind when he met Rosa and Santiago through his longtime connections to St. Peter’s Prep (he’s an alum).
“When you meet these two, you can’t help but be impressed,” he said. “I know they are still kids, but they act and talk like adults. They are role models for their classmates and ideal spokespeople for brands.”
Zito said Rosa and Santiago already have signed one other NIL deal — working with Monkey Mind, a sports training platform (founded by Danny Perez, a Bloomfield native) that aims to bridge the gap between athletes and organizations seeking mental performance support and the experts who provide it.
Zito said the two are working on deals with some restaurants and Puerto Rico-owned businesses in Jersey City, too.
Big dollars? No. But there’s potential for big impact, Zito said.
“I think this is what NIL will be like at the high school level,” he said. “There may be a few big-time athletes that can do things at a higher level – Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper (of Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey) was a Top Five recruit when he was in high school. But, for the most part, this is a way for smaller businesses to take advantage of local athletes – and their social media presence – to reach the local audience they want to serve.
“It’s a low-cost marketing effort, but one that shows people these companies are eager to invest in the communities in which they live.”
Then there’s this: “It’s a great way for companies to connect with a star athlete at a very young age,” Zito said. “There’s no telling how big these kids could be one day.”
***
St. Peter’s Prep head coach Alex Mirabel has all the challenges that any high school coach in any sport has these days: Keeping his players focused and disciplined.
“The biggest challenge is making sure your players can handle their entire day, not just practice,” he said. “Are they getting to the weight room and film session – are they studying and preparing for class? What are they doing on social media?
“Making sure they are doing the right thing at home, at school and with the team is a daily conversation.”
You may be surprised that Mirabel doesn’t mind adding NIL deals to the daily mix.
“I think it’s a good thing for the young men,” he said. “Obviously, a lot of people make money from the games that they play. They are the face of what people pay to see, whether it’s all-star games or AAU tournaments. So, I think it’s really good for them to understand early on that basketball is a business.”
Like the game itself, the more practice – and exposure – you get, the better you’ll be, Mirabel said.
“They need to learn the business side of it – the sooner the better,” he said. “They are going to make mistakes, but if they can learn them at young age and keep growing, they will be able to handle things better moving forward.”
Mirabel said the duo’s endorsement – and increased attention – is not an issue with the team. It’s no different than having some players being recruited and others not, he said.
Mirabel also said he’s fortunate. In the case of Rosa and Santiago, he hasn’t seen any of these extra opportunities go to their head.
He said he’s ready if they do.
“We have a way of humbling kids,” he joked. “That’s what practice is for. If anyone starts acting like they are bigger than the team, we have ways of reminding them.”
***
The Boricua Guards clothing line grew out of the ‘Boricua Guards are Different’ marketing campaign that Rosa and Santiago started back in 2022.
The duo said it was their way to draw attention to the fact that Puerto Ricans, better known for their excellence in baseball, can star on the basketball court, too. They wanted to bring awareness to the past, present and future generation of Puerto Rican guards – the position most associated with Puerto Rican players.
“Over the years, we’ve felt overlooked in the basketball world,” they said. “We want to bring the contributions of Puerto Rican players to the game of basketball to the forefront. Every time we step on to the court, not only are we playing for the name on the front of the jersey but for the name on the back.”
They are playing quite well. Last summer, the U17 team took 6th in the FIFA World Cup – ahead of some well-known international powers, including Spain, Canada, France and Argentina.
For Rosa and Santiago, a key part of the experience was interacting with players on the Puerto Rican national team.
Waters, Alvarado and Arroya attended some of the U17 team’s practices. Rosa and Santiago also were able to attend some practices of the national team. On both occasions, the players had time to interact.
“It was incredible to talk with them because they are the ones who inspired me,” Rosa said. “I asked them a lot of questions, really tried to pick their brains about everything. That was very special.”
The experience showed the duo they are on the right track. They hope to soon use the BG platform to start holding camps and clinics both in New Jersey and Puerto Rico, they said.
“Our goal is to inspire and influence up and coming Puerto Rican players on and off the court,” they said. “We want them to be proud of their heritage and their contribution to basketball – no matter what position they play.”
Boricua Guards is about every position, they said.
***
Nike, New Balance, Gatorade: When Rosa and Santiago see professional athletes repping the top brands on TV now, they admit that they watch it more carefully. They are trying to understand what it means to be a brand ambassador.
It starts with acting professionally on and off the court, they said. That includes being patient with potential opportunities.
“You have to find brands that represent you,” Rosa said.
Santiago agreed.
“It’s not about taking the first thing that comes,” he said. “And don’t be greedy or get big headed. Be humble and keep a level head.”
Of course, it’s still OK to dream about being ‘like Mike.’
Both players already have their ideal sponsors.
For Rosa, it’s Playa Bowls.
“I would definitely love to represent food brands, because I definitely love eating,” he said.
“I eat a Playa Bowl before every game. It gets my body right and keeps me stable throughout the game.”
Santiago is sticking with apparel. He’d like to add Ralph Lauren’s Polo brand to his sponsors for one simple reason.
“From underwear, socks, shirts, sweatshirts – that’s pretty much all I wear,” he said.
Both players say the biggest benefit of any potential brand affiliation is the attention it will draw to the greater cause: Puerto Rican basketball.
“We’re still overlooked, even in New Jersey,” Santiago said. “Me and Richie want to change that. And we want to inspire the younger kids. That’s what it’s really all about.”
