Jack Gohlke NIL deals: Oakland's March Madness hero already has sponsors after Kentucky upset

Bryan Murphy

Jack Gohlke NIL deals: Oakland's March Madness hero already has sponsors after Kentucky upset image

All it took was one game on the national stage for Jack Gohlke to rise to NCAA basketball stardom. 

The fifth-year guard for Oakland put up a historic performance from beyond the arc Thursday, as his 10 successful 3-pointers helped the No. 14 seed Golden Grizzlies knock off No. 3 Kentucky in the first round of March Madness.

The tournament has seen its fair share of legends emerge out of nowhere to become heroes. In the past, those athletes got to thrive in the limelight for a spell and then moved on once the tournament is over. 

However, the rise of name, image and likeness (NIL) in college basketball has changed the landscape in 2024. Breakout phenoms, including Gohlke, now have a chance to make some extra cash on the side with their new platform, and the Oakland star has done just that. 

The former Division II guard at Hillsdale College has had his world turned upside down quite literally overnight, going from a fairly unknown player for a mid-major program to one of the most discussed stars of the 2024 tournament. With his newfound fame, Gohlke has signed a number of NIL deals, earning a profit with his increased platform. 

Here is a look at the NIL deals Gohlke has signed since leading Oakland to the upset over Kentucky. 

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Jack Gohlke NIL deals

NIL Store

One of the first merchandise deals that Gohlke signed was with The NIL Store, a company backed by Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban to give NCAA athletes a chance to sell their own clothing line. 

Gohlke released four clothing items with the company, including three T-shirts and a hoodie.

Barstool Sports

Gohlke also partnered with Barstool Sports to launch his own clothing line with the media company. Barstool Sports has a number of athletes inked to NIL deals, allowing the athletes to profit off merchandise sold in the online store.

With Barstool, Gohlke has a hoodie, a crewneck and a T-shirt available for purchase. 

MORE: How old is Oakland's Jack Gohlke?

TurboTax

Gohlke also has come to an agreement on a deal with TurboTax, the online software program that assists people with their annual taxes. The 24-year-old received an accounting degree from Hillsdale before transferring to Oakland to pursue a master's degree in business.

"Me and my team got to the next round by making all our moves count," Gohlke said in his promo video. " Just like TurboTax, who makes all your off court moves count this tax season."

What better location to film his first NIL promo with TurboTax than to do it in the ballroom at the hotel he and Oakland are staying at for March Madness?

Despite these deals, Gohlke remains focused on the task at hand. After taking on blue-blood program in Kentucky, Oakland's next opponent is NC State.

"Yeah, I want to make money," Gohlke said. "I want to go through [the NIL offers]. But I care more about winning the next game.”

MORE: Jack Gohlke NBA scouting report

If Oakland and Gohlke continue to make a Cinderella run at the tournament, you can bet that the sharpshooter will be inking more NIL deals in the process.

Oakland NCAA Tournament schedule

With the Golden Grizzlies' win against No. 3 seed Kentucky, they earned a second-round matchup against No. 11 seed NC State. The Wolfpack advanced after besting No. 6 seed Texas Tech, 80-67, in their own first-round game.

STREAM: Watch Oakland vs. NC State live with Sling

Oakland's round of 32 contest against NC State is set for 7:10 p.m. ET Saturday on TBS.

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Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.