Division III Basketball Player Shows What's Possible in NIL

In four seasons at Division III Claremont McKenna College (Claremont, CA), guard Connor Printz has played 16 total games, often in front of only 250 fans. However in that time, the basketball content creator has amassed close to a million social media followers and a whopping 80 NIL deals.

How is that possible for a DIII athlete who never played on national TV and rarely saw the floor? While Claremont McKenna is one of the top colleges in the country - The Wall Street Journal ranked them No. 9 overall for 2024 - their student-athletes do not have the NIL resources that top-10 athletic departments pitch to recruits.

Printz though is the shining example of NIL as the great equalizer for student-athletes - anyone at any level can engage - with their content creation skillset and social media reach more valuable than their team visibility or on-court statistics.

With his social media community and NIL brand portfolio continuing to grow at a rapid pace, Printz has decided to retire from college basketball to focus on content creation full-time.

"I want to show athletes that NIL is not just for All-Americans," Printz shared with Sports Illustrated. "I was a guy who didn’t really have any followers when I got to college. I locked-in on content, growing my platforms and reaching out directly to brands to engage in NIL."

When Printz moved across the country from Waterbury, CT to Claremont, CA as an All-League performer, team MVP, 1,000 point scorer and McDonald's All-American Game nominee in high school, his social media following consisted of friends, family and local basketball connections.

It was a similar work ethic - that he previously applied to basketball and academics - that allowed him to grow his platforms, while creating so many brand partnership opportunities in the process.

Printz's social network currently includes:

- 467,000 on Snapchat

- 161,000 on TikTok

- 151,000 on Instagram

- 20,000 on Threads

From Reebok to Powerade and CVS to Movember, Printz's NIL portfolio is certainly robust. But his 80 deals are actually only in a year and a half of engagement - since he didn't even start creating content and working with brands until June of 2022 - almost a year after NIL became legal for college athletes.

"I relate the NIL process to college recruiting," Printz added. "In high school, I began pitching myself to college coaches - highlighting how I'm both a good player and student - and that is a similar process to pitching brands why I would be a good fit for them."

After his first NIL deal with Snapchat in June of 2022, Printz fell in love with content creation and knew he wanted to focus the little free-time he had on building his personal brand.

His favorite deal to date was one where he could give back to an important person in his life. When Printz collaborated with shoe company HEYDUDE on a content piece, he was able to gift his Dad - who is a loyal fan of the brand - a few pairs to say 'thank you' for everything he has done to support Printz.

"NIL has really changed my life - of course on the financial side - but it has benefited me in so many other ways," Printz added. "I’ve been able to meet so many people who I wouldn’t have talked to without NIL, I've been able to learn how to promote myself and gain a ton of contract negotiation experience. NIL teaches you so many things that you might not learn before graduating college."

Although no longer a student-athlete, the senior hopes to continue to work with brands, grow his network and secure a job with a sports social media company upon graduation in the Spring.

In the meantime, to level up his content game and brand partnerships, Printz has signed with Snapback Agency, a management company representing the next generation of talent in sports. Their current roster includes co-founder Jack Settleman who is the "Head of Winning" at Underdog Fantasy, Jenna Bandy, Adam Breneman, Strictly Bball & Football, among other creators.

"We’re really excited about the future with Connor and how Snapback Agency will help him transition from college athlete to full-time content creator," shared Snapback Agency's CEO & Co-Founder, Alex Sheinman. "Connor is a great case study for current college athletes, as he is showcasing how to build a brand on social media in a meaningful way. There’s so many college athletes who won’t play professionally, and the path of a content creator is a really great transition for so many. It allows you to continue showcasing your particular sport/talent and keep working with brand partners. We have a lot lined up for Connor and I see many college athletes following his lead, spending more time building their brand on social, and using it as a vehicle for business success."

Printz's future isn't just about expanding his own portfolio, but educating others to follow his lead. He wants to share his learnings with the next generation of college athletes to help them create the type of NIL success that he has had, regardless of what Division or sport they play.

"I'm not a guy who has played on national TV," added Printz. "I never had that type of help to get me where I'm at today. It has all come through hard work and I pride myself on that. No matter what level you are at, you can be successful at NIL. Just stay committed to the process and believe in yourself."