Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry signs the coolest NIL deal of all time
(Photo by Crimson Tide Photos/Kent Gidley courtesy of tuscaloosanews)
Nothing will ever top this -- Alabama freshman defensive back Ga’Quincy McKinstry, more formally known as “Kool-Aid McKinstry,” has signed an NIL partnership with Kool-Aid. Although “Kool-Aid” may seem like a silly childhood nickname, McKinstry is actually listed under the name Kool-Aid on the Crimson Tide’s official roster.
You can’t make this stuff up. This is a match made in heaven, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see similar name-to-company relative NIL deals inked in the future. The possibilities are endless.
My initial reaction to all this was “what would Saban think?” In the media Saban appears to be fine with all the NIL stuff going on, but has expressed concerns of equality within the locker room considering some guys make $0 a year while their quarterback Bryce Young has already bagged at least $2 million.
Regardless of what the locker room dynamic will be after this, I love it. Every time McKinstry walks in that locker room he better be shouting “OHH YEAH” at the top of his lungs, otherwise it’s just a wasted opportunity.
The NIL era has evolved tremendously in the 2 months it’s been around and I can’t wait to see what’s next for some of these young stars.