How NIL Will Reshape Talent Development

Polaris Athlete Mentor, Kristin Shanahan, Women’s Lacrosse

Since July 2021, the conversation around Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has focused on compensation. The smoke and sizzle of the headlines centering on large deals or endorsement opportunities has been captivating. But the most important impact of NIL may have little to do with payments at all.

The real opportunity lies in access.

At its best, NIL moves access forward by allowing student-athletes to benefit from the value they already create. When guided responsibly, NIL can also open doors to relationships, mentorship, and career exploration that were previously unavailable to many students-athletes.

Simply put, student-athletes don’t have the time for traditional pathways. In other words, NIL has the potential to reshape how talent is discovered and developed in the United States.

Take a look at Brittani Willett’s LinkedIn post from earlier today. Brittani is the President of the Sun Angel Collective, the official NIL collective supporting Arizona State University Athletics. Established in 2022, it brings together fans, donors, and businesses to create endorsement, partnership, and compensated opportunities for ASU student-athletes.

NIL’s next chapter will include more student-athletes turning brand partnerships into full-time careers, and we’re already seeing it happen. At Polaris Athlete, we’re leading the way by educating student-athletes so they are ready when opportunity becomes a career moment.

We are also building this philosophy into our own work. As we develop the Polaris Mentorship Program, we are intentionally hiring current collegiate student-athletes to serve as mentors. At the same time, we view the program as a way to identify and cultivate talent as our education technology company continues to grow.

For us at Polaris Athlete, NIL is more than a moment of opportunity. It is a talent development pipeline.

The Gap in the Talent Development System

Traditionally, the pathway from education to employment follows a familiar structure: students attend college, choose a major, and pursue internships or entry-level roles near graduation. For many, meaningful professional relationships do not begin until their final years of school.

This creates a gap. Students often graduate without strong networks or real exposure to the industries they hope to enter, while employers are increasingly searching for ways to identify talent earlier.

NIL introduces a new point of connection between students and businesses. When companies partner with student-athletes through NIL, the relationship often extends beyond marketing. Student-athletes visit companies, learn about operations, and engage directly with professionals in the field. Businesses, in turn, gain early insight into potential future employees.

For this reason, Polaris Athlete promotes NIL as a form of early talent discovery.

NIL as Career Exploration

Student-athletes already bring many of the qualities employers value: discipline, teamwork, resilience, and the ability to perform under pressure.

NIL partnerships allow employers to see those skills in action while giving student-athletes exposure to potential career paths. In some cases, these relationships may lead to internships or job opportunities. In others, they simply expand a student’s understanding of the professional world.

Either way, NIL becomes more than sponsorship. It becomes a pathway to learning.

Why Education Matters

Opportunity alone is not enough. Without guidance, NIL can feel confusing for student-athletes and families trying to understand how it fits within the broader college experience.

Education is essential. Students need frameworks to evaluate opportunities responsibly, build digital identities, understand agreements, and connect NIL experiences to long-term goals. 

That’s our thing. And that’s exactly why Bill Carter and I are building together. We’re educators with expertise in school and college counseling, higher education, and the sports industry. Polaris Athlete Hub is the platform built for student-athlete success.

When education leads the way, NIL shifts from a marketplace to a learning environment.

Looking Ahead

As I prepare to present Navigating NIL: Empowering Counselors for Student-Athlete Success at MACAC tomorrow, this is the message I hope resonates most.

NIL is not simply about compensation. It is about preparation. Counselors have always helped students understand themselves, reflect on their values, and make thoughtful decisions about their futures. That same work now extends into the NIL ecosystem.

When student-athletes are guided by educators who understand both opportunity and development, NIL becomes more than a marketplace. It becomes a platform for learning, mentorship, and early talent discovery. At Polaris Athlete, we believe the future of NIL will belong to those who are prepared to turn opportunity into growth, experience, and ultimately meaningful careers.