New Balance has added yet another star in the making to its growing roster of athletes. North Carolina freshman and Hubert Davis’ five-star recruit Caleb Wilson has signed a massive NIL deal, sealing a multi-million dollar partnership with the Stephen Curry-affiliated brand.
Wilson was one of the most touted prospects from the Class of 2025 and is expected to be a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Since signing this deal, Caleb Wilson is currently ranked 80th in On3’s NIL 100 list. He also ranks 30th among college basketball players in NIL valuation. Wilson joins the ranks of Cooper Flagg and JuJu Watkins, among others, as one of the many college basketball athletes choosing to endorse New Balance.
North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson, a projected 2026 NBA draft lottery pick, has signed a multiyear, multimillion-dollar shoe endorsement deal with New Balance, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 18, 2025
NBA stars Kawhi Leonard, Darius Garland, Zach LaVine, and Jamal Murray also endorse New Balance at a bigger level. As much as the brand is trying to build a roster of talented next-generation athletes, fans seem to have mixed ideas about Caleb Wilson signing this endorsement.
“It’s so weird reading about college players signing endorsement deals. He is probably the richest kid on campus,” said one fan.
“Nike better but ok,” another fan added.
“New Balance betting big on a kid who hasn’t played a college game? That’s peak NIL chaos. But here’s what the sharps know—when shoe companies make these moves early, they’ve done their homework. Pre-draft shoe deals are becoming better predictors than mock drafts,” one fan wrote.
But not everyone seems unhappy with the high-school star signing a shoe deal, given he is yet to even step foot on the college basketball floor.
“New balance crushing it with the marketing and their players. Kawhi my favorite. They’re forming a true BRAND,” one fan said.
“LFG Caleb!!!” another fan added.
“I hereby award Caleb Wilson a lifetime supply of sneakers and a front-row seat in the endorsement hall of fame,” one fan wrote.
New Balance has been quite aggressive with its approach of adding new-age athletes to represent the brand. Besides basketball, one of the biggest faces of the brand is the Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.
And beyond that, the company has been active in the NIL space for a while now, adding Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love to their roster and former Stanford hoops phenom Cameron Brink as well.
Hubert Davis Praised Caleb Wilson’s Ability and Athleticism
Coach Hubert Davis has a lot of belief in Caleb Wilson joining the North Carolina Tar Heels. In fact, the coach is confident that Wilson is an “unbelievable talent,” bringing in much firepower to the frontcourt for UNC.
In a school-issued statement in June, Davis said:
“We are ecstatic to have Caleb here at Carolina. He is an unbelievable talent. His length, athleticism and versatility allow him to dominate on both ends of the floor. He loves being a great teammate, is competitive and comes from an unbelievable family. Carolina fans will love him and this entire freshman class.”
Caleb Wilson announced his decision to join the Hubert Davis’ team on June 25, alongside Derek Dixon and Isaiah Denis. The trio are now among the nine new newcomers to the Tar Heels, including international prospect Luka Bogavac.
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