New Balance is adding to its NIL athlete roster. The shoewear brand signed three rising basketball stars to NIL deals. UCLA freshman Sienna Betts, 2026 5-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. and 2027 Five Star Plus+ women’s basketball shooting guard Haylen Ayers all inked partnerships with New Balance. They join notable names such as Cooper […]
New Balance is adding to its NIL athlete roster. The shoewear brand signed three rising basketball stars to NIL deals.
UCLA freshman Sienna Betts, 2026 5-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. and 2027 Five Star Plus+ women’s basketball shooting guard Haylen Ayers all inked partnerships with New Balance. They join notable names such as Cooper Flagg, Cameron Brink and Kawhi Leonard as part of the company’s roster.
“Introducing three of basketball’s brightest rising stars – Sienna Betts, Haylen Ayers, and Jordan Smith Jr.,” New Balance wrote. “The future of the game is with New Balance.”
Smith, repped by Klutch Sports Group, has taken three official visits as he goes through his recruitment. He most recently visited Kentucky for Big Blue Madness after previously taking trips to Duke and Arkansas. He’s the No. 3 overall player from the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, and announced his top six in August.
“I’m looking forward to a partnership that feels more like family,” Smith said in a statement to On3. “The culture of New Balance is individuality. It sets apart from the rest. I love that.”
Additionally, the five-star shooting guard is one of the highest-profile recruits from the cycle. Smith has a $1.4 million On3 NIL Valuation, which ranks No. 3 in the high school basketball NIL rankings. It also puts the Washington, D.C. at No. 65 in the On3 NIL 100, the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.
“Being a part of the New Balance family is such an honor,” Smith said. “I grew up in D.C., where New Balance was the official shoe for DC. I feel like I’m putting on for my city.”
Betts – the younger sister of UCLA star Lauren Betts – is getting ready for her freshman season at UCLA after a standout career at Aurora (Colo.) Grandview. She arrives in Westwood as a five-star prospect and the No. 3 overall player from the 2025 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.
Betts previously signed a high-profile NIL deal with the Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball league. She joined her sister, as well as stars Azzi Fudd, Flau’jae Johnson and JuJu Watkins, as part of the NIL activation.
Category: General Sports
