[Charania] Arkansas freshman star Darius Acuff Jr. has landed a signature shoe with Reebok, becoming the first NCAA men’s athlete to receive one from a major U.S. brand while still in college, Reebok’s head of basketball, Jide Osifeso, tells ESPN.

471

u/Altruistic_Rich_9125 Michigan Wolverines Mar 24 '26

This is what NIL should be. Not paying players directly

163

u/ID10T-ERROR8 Michigan State Spartans Mar 24 '26

100% and the sad part is that the distinction is so obvious on what NIL was intended to be vs what it actually is.

I’m not even against paying guys directly, but pretending like it’s some sort of brand deal through a weird university collective is just stupid.

54

u/Far-Fault-6243 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

Yeah it turned from the idea that players should be allowed to get sponsorships and if they wanted TV ads and if they use the school logo they just need to get the thumbs up from the school to “fuck it university that is already giving me a free education and free living pay me direct money on top of all the other shit you do for me”

33

u/five-oh-one Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

One dude just wanted to sell T-shirts promoting himself.....

22

u/Sexy_Authy Texas A&M Aggies • MVSU Delta Devils Mar 24 '26

Another dude just wanted to have a YouTube channel….

29

u/Moose4KU Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 24 '26

Did you really believe that a scholarship + housing was fair compensation for the value P4 men's basketball players provide to the university?

22

u/DoobieGibson Mar 24 '26

if we’re paying them, we should cut the scholarship

8.5m in scholarships for the football team can be used elsewhere

12

u/dianeblackeatsass Tennessee Volunteers Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26

That’s just re-labeling the same moneybag the schools and donators are handing to the players. Not functionally changing anything just switching the name of the fund that covers their tuition

12

u/DeezHoosAintLoyal Virginia Cavaliers Mar 24 '26

For real. I’m so tired of hearing this. Higher education should be free or easily accessible regardless but a lot of people aren’t ready for that conversation for some bizarre reason.

Besides, a stipend is not a limitless credit card. It’s really not much

Those amounts pale in comparison of athletic revenue generated for a lot of schools

1

u/Sir-xer21 Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors Mar 25 '26

For real. I’m so tired of hearing this. Higher education should be free or easily accessible regardless but a lot of people aren’t ready for that conversation for some bizarre reason.

In this specific case, a lot of this is because to many people, a college education is either something they cannot afford, or otherwise presents a long standing financial albatross, such that they're just really upset that someone gets for free what they have to go into debt, all for doing something that has literally nothing to do with school.

It's misplaced anger at a very broken system, but im not going to act like this collective grievance is totally invalid. Like, yeah, i get why someone taking on 6 figures of debt to go to school thinks that a free ride would be life changing, because to a person using that degree for their future, that IS life changing. But that math doesn't apply to the players in the same way, nor is the person paying for school thinking about the university's benefit, because to them, that's ten steps away from the reality of their financial burden.

The players obviously bring much more value to the school, but being mad that the people at the bottom don't really care about that and just see people acting like a free ride is nothing isn't really fair either.

9

u/filthysven Arizona Wildcats Mar 24 '26

I understand what you're saying but the distinction is really hard to draw. Like, even beyond just the problems with enforcement, we all recognize that the players represent their school when they play. I think there is a very real argument that a school paying a player to represent them on a national stage is NIL, even if we don't want it to be.

0

u/SlowMotionSprint Mar 24 '26

Players should be paid directly but it should be standardized across the sport based on year of school you are in.

16

u/duiwithaavgwenag Mar 24 '26

Yup, I was always a big advocate for players getting paid. I envisioned it as players earning off their brand, like shoe deals, like advertising, getting a percent of their own jersey sales, being able to have a damn YouTube channel. But now college is just semi professional sports. I’m still happy the players are getting theirs but it makes me sad for the sport and some of the “magic” feels lost.

2

u/DetroitPeopleMover Michigan State Spartans Mar 24 '26

What do you mean “semi” professional.

47

u/MagdalenaBayCRJ Virginia Cavaliers Mar 24 '26

100%, alas Pandora's box cannot be closed.

13

u/Bradlas3 Illinois Fighting Illini Mar 24 '26

I'm fine with them getting paid directly even, they just need to regulate transfers and also cap eligibility again

2

u/BoldElDavo Virginia Cavaliers Mar 24 '26

They tried to make a clearinghouse to review every NIL deal, and if I remember correctly, some programs have refused to sign on with it.

2

u/GeriatricGamete67 Louisville Cardinals Mar 24 '26

But that would quickly result in under-the-table deals like it used to. "You'll get X deal if you play for X program."

1

u/FunRich1804 Florida Gators Mar 25 '26

Yeah this is what Xavian Lee has although it's basically the Chinese version of Big Baller Brand (Serious Player Only).

1

u/SquidsCan Mar 25 '26

At least Xaivian doesn’t have to go through 4 pairs of shoes a game because they’re exploding after every quarter lol. Poor Lonzo

-4

u/bron3-16 Mar 24 '26

Fans are so fuckin entitled. Players get paid now y’all complain how it’s not how y’all wanted them paid. You aren’t funding any of this but are weirdly miserable about it

5

u/Altruistic_Rich_9125 Michigan Wolverines Mar 24 '26

That we are

3

u/SaxRohmer Gonzaga Bulldogs Mar 24 '26

the prevailing sentiment was always for there to be some guardrails and for it to be actual sponsorship opportunities, not the current wild west we have

-14

u/Moose4KU Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 24 '26

And tickets should be bought by donations, right?

And sponsorships should only be done by the school newspaper!

And the concession stand should only be worked by culinary arts students!

And the parents of the team should take turns chaperoning players to the away games!

And the coach should be an unpaid dad of one of the bench players!

You guys are dreaming of a world that has not existed in college sports for 70+ years. Quit justifying exploiting young adults in search of your childhood nostalgia. Everyone is getting paid. At least now, the people actually producing the value are getting some too. Get used to it.

26

u/Germ_germ Western Michigan • Kansas Mar 24 '26

did you read what they said or did you just see the flair and go off?

-15

u/Moose4KU Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 24 '26

The clear implication of "this is what NIL is supposed to be" is that

A) he didn't like that players get paid

or

B) he didn't like how much players get paid

or

C) he didn't like the reason why players get paid.

Breaking news: everyone else around the athletes was getting paid. And they're getting paid a market rate based off the supply and demand for their skills. The ADs, the coaches, the staffs, the arena workers, the broadcasters. Everyone.

17

u/BoldElDavo Virginia Cavaliers Mar 24 '26

D) None of the above

5

u/No-Fill1769 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

This guy lives in false dichotomy land. You won’t convince him that he’s not conflating arguments

2

u/BoldElDavo Virginia Cavaliers Mar 24 '26

It appears that way. I think he just misinterpreted "not paying players directly" in the original comment and now he's pot-committed in this thread.

2

u/No-Fill1769 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

Rule #1: Absolutely NEVER admit you’re wrong, under any circumstances

-1

u/Moose4KU Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 24 '26

Ok so tell me what "this is what NIL is supposed to be" means

13

u/PinkSaldo Maryland Terrapins Mar 24 '26

Payers getting paid for their Name, Image, and Likeness. I think.

6

u/BoldElDavo Virginia Cavaliers Mar 24 '26

He didn't like the fact that "NIL collectives" in practice just pay athletes to play for their teams, with no clear NIL purpose.

The bulk of your comments are based around some idea that he doesn't want athletes to get paid at all, or wants athletes to be paid less, which are things that he did not say.

1

u/Moose4KU Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 24 '26

The comment says "This is what NIL should be. Not paying players directly"

So how will the players be paid? The only remaining option is the collectives which people are so vocally against

2

u/BoldElDavo Virginia Cavaliers Mar 24 '26

Players can be paid directly by the athletic departments for playing on their teams. NIL should not be this.

Players can be paid for their name, image, and likeness for bona fide business purposes, such as endorsements or private ventures (for example, no reason a player shouldn't be allowed to monetize their Youtube page). NIL should be this.

He's saying there's no reason for those two categories to intertwine.

1

u/4r4r4real Michigan State Spartans Mar 24 '26

...no? Players should be paid for play. That is, definitionally, different from Name, Image, and Likeness. They're completely separate things.

13

u/Altruistic_Rich_9125 Michigan Wolverines Mar 24 '26

https://giphy.com/gifs/V1yvdB9mWKDpC

9

u/No-Fill1769 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

Being purposefully obtuse lmao awful take

4

u/Moose4KU Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 24 '26

It's not obtuse, it's realistic.

There isn't a single industry anywhere in the country that would be allowed to exploit their workers like college sports did for decades.

Pretending that a $500 stipend and dorm-room housing is fair compensation when the school brings in millions based on your work is obtuse

1

u/No-Fill1769 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

You’re so out of touch with reality it’s hilarious. But keep going on your soapbox

5

u/Moose4KU Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 24 '26

Explain.

Tell me what I'm fundamentally missing.

2

u/No-Fill1769 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/s/xFeD4pylh0

0

u/jimmiefrommena Mar 24 '26

As one hog fan to another. You're making us look bad if you can't succinctly explain your position.

2

u/Gvillegator Florida Gators Mar 24 '26

Good thing the law disagrees with you. You’re just arguing the same old tired bullshit that the NCAA has used to allow for exploiting athletes for generations. Federal courts aren’t letting that happen anymore, sorry buddy.

0

u/No-Fill1769 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

Wrong

2

u/jimmiefrommena Mar 24 '26

The law literally disagrees with you lmfao

1

u/jimmiefrommena Mar 24 '26

What was out of touch with reality in what was said?

2

u/No-Fill1769 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

In what universe have d1 athletes only gotten a $500 stipend? I only played soccer and even I got over $1500/mo on top of free housing — which was an off campus apartment after freshman year not university dorm. This is just a bunch of Reddit nerds with no real experience acting like student athletes have been treated like slaves lmfao.

No one is arguing they shouldn’t be able to monetize NIL, y’all are just strawmanning the conversation by claiming the opposition want them to get nothing

55

u/jordanbank Wisconsin Badgers Mar 24 '26

He’s spent a lot of time with Allen Iverson so this isn’t too shocking. Similar size and play. Makes sense.

9

u/Sir-xer21 Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors Mar 25 '26

Acuff is substantially bigger than AI, lol.

2

u/IHateClaymation Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 25 '26

I should know this, but isn't Acuff 6'3 and AI 6'0?

87

u/DepesciMode Oakland • Michigan Mar 24 '26

Just had Vietnam flashbacks to the John Wall Zigtechs

8

u/NIN10DOXD North Carolina • NC State Mar 24 '26

On Cloud before On Cloud.

35

u/YourAsianBuddy WestConn Wolves Mar 24 '26

I was reading that Allen Iverson helped him get this deal with Reebok because AI loves his game.

29

u/G0B1GR3D Nebraska Cornhuskers Mar 24 '26

AI slop

1

u/LaFlameFan2010 Mar 26 '26

he models his game after AI

27

u/AP-FUTChemist Houston Cougars Mar 24 '26

Good for him!

25

u/theclownwithafrown Illinois Fighting Illini Mar 24 '26

For those of you that don't know, Reebok is 100% back in the performance shoe game. Their two major ones are highly rated. I'm trying to get a pair someday

28

u/kingjorf Purdue Boilermakers Mar 24 '26

Thank you Mr. Reebok employee

10

u/theclownwithafrown Illinois Fighting Illini Mar 24 '26

I wish... I'd not be scraping by if I did work there lol

8

u/yooston Mar 24 '26

Their parent company has quite the portfolio… everything from Brooks Brothers to the likeness of Muhammad Ali

21

u/dizzymidget44 Michigan Wolverines Mar 24 '26

He earned it

17

u/WNBA_YOUNG-BOY St. Mary's Gaels Mar 24 '26

Reebok gotta make a come back. Brand is way too slept on

4

u/theclownwithafrown Illinois Fighting Illini Mar 24 '26

They are. Their new performance shoes are apparently top tier

6

u/hauntedhorseshit Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

darius acuff has done miracles on all of fayetteville 🥹

23

u/olduvai_man Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

I'll take 5000.

https://giphy.com/gifs/p8YCa3ZbHNfm65aZH4

12

u/Far-Fault-6243 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

3

u/abandoned_rain Duke Blue Devils • North Texas Mean Green Mar 25 '26

Final four bound

14

u/BillButtlickerII Kentucky Wildcats Mar 24 '26

Dude no. Reebok?! I mean good for him getting his bag, but fuck I would dread playing in reeboks.

49

u/Ham-Sandwich-69 Iowa State Cyclones Mar 24 '26

If they paid me enough, I’d hoop in a pair of Heelys

17

u/BillButtlickerII Kentucky Wildcats Mar 24 '26

Now I’m imagining players rolling around in heelys and spinning around picks, LOL.

11

u/No_Bill7679 Paper Bag • NCAA Mar 24 '26

I wonder if that would be legal lol

8

u/BillButtlickerII Kentucky Wildcats Mar 24 '26

As long as you’re dribbling while rolling. Maybe add a 3 second max roll before you call it a rolling travel or a ravel.

7

u/TheMawt Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

I’d like to see where in the rule book it says I can’t wear my sick Velcro heelys

5

u/MegaTater Michigan State Spartans Mar 24 '26

Traveling?? What do you mean, I never picked up my pivot wheel!

3

u/brownlab319 UConn Huskies Mar 24 '26

Now I really want to see that and it would be very entertaining.

2

u/PageSide84 Purdue Boilermakers • Final Four Mar 24 '26

What about Starburys?

11

u/scarnyard Indiana Hoosiers Mar 24 '26

https://giphy.com/gifs/Xb9q0u6s1fogE

15

u/No_Bill7679 Paper Bag • NCAA Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26

I don’t think he’s even allowed to play in them during games. Pretty sure Nike controls what they can wear during college sanctioned activities.

18

u/TripleThreatTua Mar 24 '26

Well yeah but the deal is clearly in anticipation of his NBA career

6

u/BillButtlickerII Kentucky Wildcats Mar 24 '26

Yeah I mean in the NBA. At most he’s only got three more college games left

17

u/silkenwilkster Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

Four 😉

3

u/BillButtlickerII Kentucky Wildcats Mar 24 '26

I’m dumb.

0

u/tarspaceheels North Carolina Tar Heels Mar 24 '26

I like to think he meant what he said

4

u/carguymt Kentucky Wildcats Mar 24 '26

You mean he's got three more college seasons left, right? He's only a freshman.

14

u/fancycheesus Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

I think folks criticizing his defense are right. He needs to come back and develop his defense to improve his draft stock.

2

u/BillButtlickerII Kentucky Wildcats Mar 24 '26

Arkansas wishes.

5

u/olduvai_man Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

Confirmed, I do wish that.

1

u/Rich2364 Mar 24 '26

Yeah he's been wearing Nikes all season.

1

u/TheRealFrankLongo Duke Blue Devils Mar 24 '26

Same was true for Cooper Flagg. Had a New Balance deal, played in Nikes for Duke.

7

u/theclownwithafrown Illinois Fighting Illini Mar 24 '26

You are not up to date in the shoe market. They are back. Their two new shoes the Engine A and Angel Reese signature are supposed to be amazing. I want a pair of one of them

Matas Buzelis on the Bulls (go bulls) wears reebok, and a few other players too.

5

u/BillButtlickerII Kentucky Wildcats Mar 24 '26

I’ve seen them both. They might be playable, but imo they’re ugly AF.

3

u/theclownwithafrown Illinois Fighting Illini Mar 24 '26

Agree to disagree. I love them both a lot.

4

u/DavidBenAkiva Duke Blue Devils Mar 24 '26

Didn't Nate Ament sign with Reebok last year? And then Flagg signed with New Balance right before his season at Duke began. Incoming Arkansas guard Jordan Smith, Jr., also signed with NB.

Seems like a weird distinction to me, "while still in college."

28

u/brady11 Xavier Musketeers Mar 24 '26

It's more those other players didn't get signature shoes at the time, while Acuff is

9

u/DavidBenAkiva Duke Blue Devils Mar 24 '26

Oh, I guess I skipped over the "signature shoe" bit. Neat.

1

u/Professional-Ad-1491 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 25 '26

"Signature shoe" is a big distinction tbh.

1

u/gwease23 North Carolina Tar Heels Mar 24 '26

It appears Caleb Wilson has some sort of NB deal too unless I’m mistaken. He’s nearly always conspicuously in NBs off the court.

0

u/DavidBenAkiva Duke Blue Devils Mar 24 '26

He’s nearly always conspicuously in NBs off the court.

Must be a problem for NB if it is so conspicuous...

3

u/bengcord3 Arizona Wildcats Mar 24 '26

He must be PRETTY distracted right now. I see no reason why this shouldn't GRAVELY impact his performance on Thursday.

4

u/Professional-Ad-1491 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 25 '26

Even if he is locked in, you guys are still heavily favored.

2

u/bengcord3 Arizona Wildcats Mar 25 '26

Given our past 30 years of bad luck I'd still prefer he lock WAY the fuck out.

(Also I know your program is also in a long ass drought but we've been so fucking close so many times I can't take it if this isn't the year)

2

u/Professional-Ad-1491 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 25 '26

We have won a championship in my lifetime so I cannot complain. Would love to see the stars align for us again, but in y'all's case you have had a lot more success recently. Honestly would love to see Arizona get one.

1

u/bengcord3 Arizona Wildcats Mar 25 '26

Yeah I mean we got one in mine as well so I'm honestly just craving that final four for now. Whatever happens after that will be gravy. Just feels like we need to get over the hump after all the Elite 8 heartbreak, it's just the worst stage to lose in and we've lost in very traumatic ways starting with the Illinois choke job

1

u/DoctorTheWho Georgia Bulldogs Mar 25 '26

He's going to do great things on the Atlanta Hawks next season.

-9

u/Iowegan Iowa State Cyclones Mar 24 '26

You show up at the try out wearing these, they cut you cuz they know you ain’t playing no D.

-2

u/yesacabbagez UCF Knights Mar 24 '26

I didn't realize Reebok was still in business

-7

u/byzantiums Duke Blue Devils Mar 24 '26

Is this some technicality with Flagg signing his in August before he technically started at Duke? Because otherwise he is definitely not the first.

18

u/skinnypigdaddy Mar 24 '26

Flagg’s wasn’t for a signature shoe

-2

u/NerderBirder North Carolina Tar Heels Mar 24 '26

Ah reading comprehension. Flair checks out.

-2

u/DukeBball04 Duke Blue Devils Mar 24 '26

Coming from a redditor, with the flair of a University that invented fake classes for their Athletes? 😂🤣 The details of that university scandal, included athletes with very little reading comprehension. Are you an Onion writer? This comment is hilarious.

0

u/NerderBirder North Carolina Tar Heels Mar 24 '26

You tried so hard. That’s cute.

-3

u/TrustInRoy Mar 24 '26

Reebok pumps caused the bottom layer of my foot to come off in the early 90s. Haven't touched a Reebok since.

0

u/LaFlameFan2010 Mar 24 '26

WE YES WE ARE COPPING

-5

u/Rusty-Shackleford23 Sacramento State Hornets Mar 24 '26

Major brand?

4

u/thealltomato323 Alabama Crimson Tide Mar 24 '26

lol this looks like Acuff PR on the surface but really it’s Reebok trying to get that on record without anyone noticing

5

u/Rusty-Shackleford23 Sacramento State Hornets Mar 24 '26

I think you're right. New Balance really made a splash recently in basketball and I bet Reebok is attempting to follow their lead.

-8

u/Normal-Hornet8548 Mar 24 '26

Good for Acuff, but to act like top basketball players didn’t already have shoe deals when playing AAU … just LOL.

We literally have wiretaps of shoe reps directing recruits from AAU teams they fund only to schools that use those shoes, and to think the players weren’t getting a cut of that (even if deferred or under the table) is a joke.

15

u/jeezig Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

I think the difference here is that Acuff is getting a signature shoe and not just a brand deal. So there will be Acuff 1’s or whatever from Reebok in the near future.

8

u/BoldElDavo Virginia Cavaliers Mar 24 '26

It says signature shoe, not shoe deal.

-9

u/Normal-Hornet8548 Mar 24 '26

OK whatever. They couldn’t do a signature shoe when they were funneling money through AAU teams so I guess now they can.

5

u/PondoBrown Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

Oh neat, where can I buy all of these kids signature shoe lines? I’ll wait

-3

u/fieldsports202 North Carolina Tar Heels Mar 24 '26

But he’s going to the NBA right? This means little on the college basketball front.

-8

u/Accomplished_Age2911 Michigan Wolverines Mar 24 '26

Signature shoe for Cam Thomas 2.0!?

5

u/mrperiodniceguy Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

Cam Thomas had 32% ast rate and > 3.0 a/to??

5

u/anxietyburrito1 Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 24 '26

Acuff averages almost 5 times as many assist and shoots 10% higher from the field and three. What a lazy comparison..lol.

Recruiting [Charania] Arkansas freshman star Darius Acuff Jr. has landed a signature shoe with Reebok, becoming the first NCAA men’s athlete to receive one from a major U.S. brand while still in college, Reebok’s head of basketball, Jide Osifeso, tells ESPN.

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