Overview
- ESPN’s SportsCenter NEXT reached merchandising agreements with five-star prospects Kaleena Smith and Beckham Black and made a co-branded collection available on its online store after an announcement published Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
- The campaign pairs interviews and behind-the-scenes content with apparel produced by ESPN Creative Studio and positions Smith and Black as faces of SportsCenter NEXT’s youth-focused content and fashion push.
- Kaleena Smith is the top-ranked girls prospect in SC NEXT’s Class of 2027 and previously signed an NIL deal with Adidas in 2024, while Beckham Black is the No. 2 boys prospect, the younger brother of NBA guard Anthony Black, and holds multiple Division I offers.
- Commentators including former ESPN host Jemele Hill have warned that ESPN paying athletes it ranks could create a conflict of interest for its high-school coverage and recruiting lists.
- The moves reflect a broader post-NIL trend of media companies directly monetizing elite high-school athletes and could reshape how player exposure, branding, and recruiting information interact in youth sports coverage.