Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren agrees to NIL deal with Candy Digital

Gonzaga freshman Chet Holmgren has added another name, image and likeness (NIL) deal to his portfolio.

Holmgren will be part of the inaugural Candy Sweet Futures college basketball collection with a series of NFTs dropping in late February, digital collectible company Candy Digital announced Thursday. NFTs, or nonfungible tokens, are unique digital assets that use blockchain technology to record ownership.

Holmgren and four standout freshmen – Memphis’ Jalen Duren, Notre Dame’s Blake Wesley, Alabama’s JD Davison and Nebraska’s Bryce McGowens – will each have four rarities, including a 1-of-1 auction, Epic, Rare and a four-day open Core edition, available for purchase next month.

Candy Digital launched a similar NIL deal with college football players in July. The company said all 22 student-athletes sold out of their Rare edition NFTs at $250 each within minutes and Clemson starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei’s 1-of-1 auction sold for $19,500.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the inaugural Candy Sweet Futures hoops lineup alongside some of the top players in the country,” Holmgren said in a release. “Candy is reimagining the way fans can celebrate the sport and players they love, and I look forward to sharing the new NFTs soon.”

Earlier this month, Holmgren agreed to an NIL deal with Topps Co. that includes “physical and digital trading cards, rights for products such as Bowman University Basketball and Bowman NEXT, autographed trading cards and curated social media content,” according to a Topps release.

The Topps deal was the biggest NIL commitment made to a collegiate athlete, according to the company.

The 7-foot Holmgren is averaging 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.7 blocks. The Minneapolis native was the No. 1 recruit in the 2021 class and is projected as one of the top picks in most NBA mock drafts.

Teammate Drew Timme has also landed several NIL deals, but with a more local flair, including Northern Quest Resort & Casino, Walker Furniture and Boost Mobile.

Timme, the 6-10 junior, is averaging 18.8 points and nearly six rebounds per game. Most mock drafts project him as a second-round pick.