Standout Students: St. Amant High School basketball player gets NIL deal
ST. AMANT, La. (BRPROUD) — Louisiana allows Name, Image and Likeness endorsements at the high school level.
One St. Amant School basketball player, guard Demarcus Patterson, is reaping the benefits.
“When you’re going against Demarcus for the opposing team, I feel bad, ’cause it’s nothing nice,” said Patterson.
According to head coach Travis Uzee, Patterson has the stats to back it up.
“He averaged double digits in scoring, he shot the ball well from the three. He usually typically guarded the best player of the team we were playing,” said Uzee.
It’s that kind of performance in his first year at St. Amant High School that’s landed him the opportunity to cash in on his talents with Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys. The deal allows Patterson to monetize his name while maintaining high school athletic eligibility. Unlike his opponents, he never saw this one coming.
“I was excited, I was smiling, I couldn’t stop smiling,” Patterson said, remembering the day he got the deal.
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For Patterson it’s not about who got a deal and who didn’t, he’s just humble to have been considered for the opportunity.
“I’ve been training, putting work in, listening to coaches and looking at videos on how I can get better over time, especially with this deal it’s showing me that it’s paying off, so I just need to keep working and putting God first,” said Patterson.
Some say luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Patterson has been preparing much of his life, even after transferring from another school, he got to St. Amant and hit the ground running.
Soft-spoken in nature but aggressive on the court, Uzee was asked if Patterson was the team’s secret weapon.
“I don’t know if he’s a secret anymore. I think the jig is up. I think people know when they’re coming to play us that he can score and he defends well,” he said.
“It’s just my mindset, I don’t like to lose at all in nothing I do,” said Patterson.
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A team player on and off the court he hopes to mirror some of the greats on his journey to the NBA someday.
“Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, players like that who have talent but also do great things in the world,” said Patterson.
While he’s leading and cheering his team on, Patterson said it’s the support of his number one fans that keep him going, mom and dad. He said he sees them at every game and if they’re not there, he knows they’re watching on their phone.
Patterson said success is simple if you just do two simple things.
“Just be humble and keep God first in everything you do, and He’s going to lead the way for you.”
Nominations for Standout Students can be submitted online at brproud.com.
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