Cincinnati, OH – September 26th – Riley Decker Companies today announced they have signed a NIL agreement with CJ Fredrick, a University of Kentucky basketball player. CJ is from the Greater Cincinnati area, where Riley Decker Companies is headquartered, and attended high school at Covington Catholic in Northern Kentucky. Having strong roots in the area makes him a perfect brand ambassador for the local markets where the RDC brands have a strong presence.
CJ has had a strong basketball career starting in high school where he led Covington Catholic High School to a state title and was Kentucky Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year in 2017-2018. He went on to play at the University of Iowa for 3 seasons, his first year as a redshirt. He transferred to the University of Kentucky last year and has 2 years of eligibility left. CJ is impactful off the court as well, volunteering at soup kitchens and youth basketball camps when he has free time in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky. CJ’s previous relationship with Nick Van Zile, VP of Operations for The Job Center Staffing, was crucial in this partnership as Nick coached CJ in grade school at Cardinal Pacelli and at the Friars’ Club in Cincinnati.
“We are excited to have CJ represent the Riley Decker Companies’ brands. While CJ is a great basketball player, he is an even better person that comes from a great local family. He is also a great role model for those aspiring to be a student-athlete which makes this partnership a no-brainer. We are excited to support CJ’s successes in the classroom and on the court!” said Nick Van Zile.
Riley Decker Companies was quick to partake in the NIL opportunity with student-athletes, as the organization is led by a former college athlete, Kyle Decker, CEO and Co-founder, who is passionate about the opportunities for student-athletes. He experienced firsthand the challenges that come with being dedicated to school, athletics, and managing financials. The NIL athletes partnered with Riley Decker Companies will assist in attracting internal talent to the Riley Decker Companies from their respective college campuses, as well as assist in client and business development relationship building, among other initiatives.
