Kiyomi McMiller is living out her hoop dreams and one of the world’s greatest athletic brands is helping to make that happen.
It has been widely reported that McMiller became the first-ever high school basketball athlete to sign with the Jordan Brand. The Life Center Academy point guard is following the lead of Kiki Rice, a freshman guard at UCLA, as only the company’s second NIL deal.
This marks another high profile NIL deal as they continue to rise in popularity across various industries. As ESSENCE previously reported that global sportswear brand Actively Black recently announced a new collective of an NIL deal with Jackson State University football stars Travis Hunter, and Shilo and Shedeur Sanders. The athletes will be featured in a rollout that, according to a news release shared with ESSENCE amplifies Black style and culture, and caters to Black communities, consumers and athletes around the world.
McMiller, a rising star who’s reportedly caught the attention of several college recruiters hails from an athletic family. Her parents, Mike and Ravilia McMiller, were both coaches at Montgomery College when they noticed her basketball talents as a young child.
“I’m inspired by both of my parents,” McMiller shared. “I get my creativity from my dad and my grandmother, which carries over to my dribbling,” “I’m always in the gym with my mom and dad working on my game.”
ESPN named McMiller the superlative, “Best Ballhandler” out of the recruiting classes of 2023 and 2024.
“It’s a dream come true being with the brand that stands for the same passion that I have for the game,” said McMiller. “I look forward to encouraging basketball players to use their creativity and platform to define their purpose.”