Latest news with #XaivianLee
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Ivy League Star Turns Heads With Groundbreaking $6 Million NIL Deal
Former Ivy League Star Turns Heads With Groundbreaking $6 Million NIL Deal originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Florida landed one of the top spring transfers in college basketball with Princeton guard Xaivian Lee. The former Ivy League star is already cashing in down in Gainesville. Advertisement Industry sources told On3 that Lee's combined NIL contract with Florida and a new sneaker partnership with Serious Player Only totals more than $6 million. The multi-year deal with SPO is the more lucrative of the two, which includes the opportunity for Lee to launch a signature shoe when he reaches the NBA. The agreement makes Lee the first NCAA athlete to sign a shoe deal with an international brand. It includes immediate signature colorway releases and creative input on design. It's a strategy to grow his influence across Asia and North America. 'Serious Player Only has a really good vision on where they want to be,' Lee said in a statement. 'A lot of their values align with mine.' Advertisement Related: Michigan QB Makes NIL History With Iconic Franchise 'In the world of innovation, true partnership is where vision meets craftsmanship,' said Lee's agent, George Langberg of GSL Sports Group. 'Together, Xaivian Lee and SPO aren't just creating sneakers; they're defining the future of performance, style and culture—one step at a time.' Related: PJ Haggerty Cashes In: $2.5M NIL Deal Fuels Kansas State Transfer Lee, a two-time First Team All-Ivy League selection, averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists last season at Princeton. He chose the Florida over Kansas and St. John's. He fills a critical void in Florida's backcourt following the departure of Walter Clayton Jr. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
01-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
College Star Xaivian Lee Signs Signature Sneaker Deal
College basketball star Xaivian Lee has signed a sponsorship deal with Serious Player Only. College basketball star and NBA prospect Xaivian Lee already has a deal for a signature sneaker. The Toronto native who played at Princeton and is now with the University of Florida signed a deal with Serious Player Only for a multi-year brand sponsorship that includes a future signature shoe. 'SPO is a young and upcoming brand with a strong belief in their products and future,' Lee tells me, 'similar to how I view my own story.' Oigi Yang, CEO and co-founder of Serious Player Only, says that Lee brings innovation, craft and an unstoppable work ethic that can inspire. 'Xaivian is more than a rising star,' Yang says, 'he's a cultural bridge, and we're proud to walk this global journey with him. This partnership represents more than just a brand and athlete endorsement, it's a statement about the future of sports branding.' The new deal for Xaivian Lee includes a future signature sneaker. Yang says value-driven brands can stand 'toe-to-toe with legacy giants' by having a focused understanding of their audience. With basketball continuing to expand globally—and with young players—Lee says that upcoming athletes gaining more notoriety could be the future of sports branding. 'I wouldn't be surprised to see similar, innovating things like this in the future,' the 21-year-old says about signing a signature deal so early in his career. George Langberg, founder and CEO of GSL Sports Group, helped craft the sponsorship deal and says the combining of Lee and SPO offers a partnership where 'vision meets craftsmanship.' MORE: Xero Shoes Set To Release X1 Basketball Shoe Worn In NBA SPO, which already has Toronto Raptors Jonathan Mogbo, the first NBA player to sign with the brand, and a top-ranked high school point guard in Emilee Skinner, adding Lee will be about more than just another name on the roster. The brand has committed to a future signature shoe, immediate signature colorway releases and full creative freedom in a collaborative design process as the brand looks to amplify Lee's influence 'across Asia and North America.' Xaivian Lee is from Toronto and will play at Florida next season after playing at Princeton ... More previously. 'I'm excited to be a part of the creative process in both the shoes and clothing,' Lee says. 'I want to inject my sense of style into their already existing ideas and create something special.' From a performance point of view, Lee says SPO's different sneaker models 'strike a nice balance of performance, functionality and style.' A key feature of SPO footwear is the interchangeable insoles, providing differing performance needs. 'I enjoy the optionality with the different insoles to adjust to my needs,' Lee says. Lee's looking forward to seeing where Serios Player Only heads and how he can be a part of that. 'Looking for a brand to partner with, I thought Serious Player Only has a really good vision on where they want to be,' he says. 'I'm really excited to see where the brand can go in the future and how I can be a part of that and help bolster it even more. I love seeing how Serious Player Only is growing across regions and building something unique globally as a young and upcoming brand.' MORE: On's The Roger Footwear Line Modernizing And Growing
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida flies up CBS Sports preseason basketball rankings after major transfer portal coup
Florida flies up CBS Sports preseason basketball rankings after major transfer portal coup Florida basketball scored big-time by signing former Arkansas Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland to the team via the NCAA transfer portal after he withdrew his name from the NBA draft. Unsurprisingly, the Gators got a huge boost in the preseason rankings as a result, as demonstrated by CBS Sports writer Gary Parrish's latest college basketball top 25-and-1 rankings. In it, he lifted the Orange and Blue nine spots to No. 6 in the nation, now nestled between the fifth-ranked UConn Huskies and seventh-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders — both are programs that Todd Golden and Co. beat on their way to the NCAA Tournament title. "This is the era of college basketball dominated by transfer waivers and big NIL deals that, when combined, allows programs with strong financial support to replace departing student-athletes with established college standouts as opposed to high school prospects and/or role players," Parrish begins. "On Tuesday, Florida made another such move by securing a commitment from Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland, a 6-foot-2 guard who was a McDonald's All-American in 2024 before averaging 13.5 points and 5.1 assists in one season with the Razorbacks. "Fland is the second notable transfer to pick Florida. The other is Princeton's Xaivian Lee, a 6-4 guard who averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists this past season. Their additions mean the Gators could use a starting lineup that looks like this:" G : Boogie Fland : Boogie Fland G : Xaivian Lee : Xaivian Lee F : Thomas Haugh : Thomas Haugh F : Alex Condon : Alex Condon F: Reuben Chinyelu "That's three experienced forwards, each of whom played a meaningful role in Florida's run through the 2025 NCAA Tournament, and two experienced guards who have already averaged more than 13 points and five assists at the Division I level," Parrish continues. "It's a projected starting lineup talented enough to get the Gators up to No. 6 in Version 12 of the 2025-26 CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 preseason college basketball rankings, where Houston remains No. 1." CBS Sports' Top 25 And 1 rankings Houston St. John's BYU Purdue UConn Florida Texas Tech Michigan Duke UCLA Arizona Kentucky Iowa State Louisville Michigan State Oregon Kansas Auburn Arkansas Tennessee Gonzaga Texas Illinois Alabama Wisconsin Ohio State Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Miami Herald
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Princeton PG Xaivian Lee transferring to champion Florida
Princeton standout point guard Xaivian Lee announced Wednesday on social media that he is transferring to national champion Florida. Twice an All-Ivy League first-team selection, he made visits to the Gators' campus as well as to Kansas and St. John's. Lee, who has one year of eligibility remaining, was regarded as one of the top point guards in the transfer portal. Lee, who explored entering the NBA draft last year before returning to Princeton, will re-enter the draft process ahead of his move to Florida, his agent, George S. Langberg, told the Trentonian (N.J.) newspaper. A native of Toronto, the 6-foot-4 Lee would be a replacement for Florida's All-America guard Walter Clayton Jr., who has exhausted his eligibility and is heading to the NBA draft. Clayton followed a similar path, playing at a Northeast mid-major (Iona) before transferring to Florida. Lee averaged 16.9 points last season with career bests with 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in 30 contests (all starts). In 91 career games (59 starts) for the Tigers, Lee averaged 12.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists. For his career, he has shot 43.5 percent from the field, including 33.4 percent from 3-point range, and 79.6 percent from the foul line. Lee was All-Ivy League first team in 2023-24 and 2024-25. He became the first player in Princeton history to record a triple-double when he logged 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in a 77-69 win at Saint Joseph's on Dec. 3, 2024. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida's Todd Golden rounds out his coaching staff and officially fills 2 roster spots
FILE - Princeton guard Xaivian Lee (4) shoots against Navy during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Veterans Classic, Nov. 11, 2022, in Annapolis, Md. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams, File) Florida head coach Todd Golden celebrates after Florida beat Houston in the national championship at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 7, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Florida head coach Todd Golden celebrates after Florida beat Houston in the national championship at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 7, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) FILE - Princeton guard Xaivian Lee (4) shoots against Navy during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Veterans Classic, Nov. 11, 2022, in Annapolis, Md. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams, File) Florida head coach Todd Golden celebrates after Florida beat Houston in the national championship at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 7, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Todd Golden officially filled two open spots on his staff Tuesday by promoting analytics director Jonathan Safir and hiring New York University head coach Dave Klatsky. Safir and Klatsky replace John Andrzejek and Kevin Hovde. Andrzejek left to take the head coaching job at Campbell, and Hovde took over at Columbia. Advertisement Safir has been Florida's director of basketball strategy and analytics since 2022, and Golden praised his work during the team's national championship run in the NCAA Tournament. Klatsky, meanwhile, went 68-16 in three years at NYU and advanced to the Division III national title game last season. Klatsky is married to Hovde's sister. 'Dave is a high achiever and a proven winner," Golden said. 'Whether it was at Penn as a player, Colgate as an assistant, or NYU as the program's head coach, Dave has won big everywhere he's been. He has a great analytical sense for the game and is a great teacher on the floor.' Florida also formally added Princeton transfer guard Xaivian Lee and incoming freshman CJ Ingram. Advertisement Lee averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists last season and will be a much-needed ball handler for Florida, which lost guards Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard to graduation and backup Denzel Aberdeen to the transfer portal. Ingram headlines Florida's 2025 class, which also includes Alex Lloyd. A 6-foot-6 wing, Ingram holds a consensus, top-25 ranking in the recruiting class. His father Cornelius Ingram played football and a little basketball for the Gators (2004-08). ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and
