KD Partners with Texas Basketball

Kevin Durant's ties to the University of Texas go way back; he played one season with the Longhorns in 2006-2007, averaging 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. Durant was the first freshman to win the Naismith College Player of the Year award. The university retired his jersey number 35 in 2009. Durant's NIL program will also include an annual sports business summit open to all UT student-athletes and sports business students. The inaugural summit is planned for later in 2026. Durant's company, Boardroom, is also involved in the partnership. Madison Booker has multiple NIL deals, including partnerships with C4 Energy, NIL FanBox, and Keurig. She was also part of a CAVA restaurant campaign with Aaliyah Moore. Booker was named SEC Player of the Year in 2025, averaging 16 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. Nike is making a broader push into NIL, recently launching the Blue Ribbon Elite program with LSU. They've also signed high-profile athletes like Aaliyah Chavez and Dylan Harper to NIL deals. Texas Athletics launched the Longhorn Sports Agency in collaboration with Learfield to manage NIL opportunities for student-athletes.