North Carolina signee Ian Jackson, uncommitted Karter Knox join adidas as NIL ambassadors

By ADAM ZAGORIA

Five-star North Carolina signee Ian Jackson and uncommitted five-star wing Karter Knox are among four Overtime Elite (OTE) athletes named as NIL brand ambassadors for adidas.

Class of 2025 point guard Mikel Brown Jr., and Class of ’26 guard Adam Oumiddoch are also part of the quartet.

adidas and Overtime Elite established a multi-year partnership in October 2023, when adidas was named the exclusive apparel and footwear sponsor of OTE.

“The partnership with Overtime Elite and the integration of these talented young hoopers into the adidas family empowers us to champion the future leaders of basketball and reaffirms our pledge to the sport’s advancement,” said Eric Wise, adidas General Manager of Global Basketball. “We are immensely proud to foster a collaborative environment that not only equips athletes with performance-driven adidas products but propels them to success beyond the court.”

This alliance offers OTE athletes an unprecedented platform to build relationships within adidas, and the brand in turn secures early exposure to next-generation stars. The newly minted NIL ambassadors will not only embody the spirit of adidas Basketball but will also have access to educational opportunities ranging from product testing to visiting adidas headquarters to mentorship opportunities and NIL preparedness. 

Highlighting the ambassadors:

• Ian Jackson (Class of 2024) – A 2024 McDonald’s All-American and two-time gold medalist with USA Basketball, now committed to the University of North Carolina.
• Karter Knox (Class of 2024) – Also a 2024 McDonald’s All-American and projected 2025 NBA lottery pick. Celebrated as Florida’s 3A Florida Player of the Year in his junior year, with a gold medal from the 2022 USA Basketball U17 National Team.
• Mikel Brown Jr. (Class of 2025) – A promising floor general and consensus top 3 point guard in his class, currently shooting 39% from three.  
• Adam Oumiddoch (Class of 2026) – One of the Top 20 players in his class, a sophomore who is the only underclassmen at OTE averaging double figures in scoring.

“adidas is focused on the next generation athlete, and their commitment to providing OTE players with opportunities to expand their own brands aligns perfectly with how we look to empower our players,” said Jack Jenkins, VP, Brand Partnerships at Overtime. 

The two brands have kicked off their partnership in a big way, amassing millions of views, with shared content creation across league games and visits from current adidas athletes including Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young. 

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