Top HS Players Kaleena Smith, Beckham Black Sign 1st-Ever Merchandising Deals with ESPN

A pair of 5-star basketball prospects from the class of 2027 landed historic deals with the worldwide leader in sports.

ESPN announced that point guards Kaleena Smith and Beckham Black have signed the first-ever merchandising deals with the company through its SportsCenter NEXT initiative.

In 247Sports' composite, Smith is ranked as the No. 1 overall player in the 2027 class, while Black is ranked as the No. 1 point guard and No. 4 overall player. Black is the younger brother of Orlando Magic point guard Anthony Black.

"The SportsCenter NEXT brand brings youth culture and sports to life on a daily basis," Kaitee Daley, Senior Vice President of Social, Digital and Streaming Content at ESPN, said in a release. "It made all the sense in the world to team up with Kaleena and Beckham as they bring their A-game to audience connection both on and off the court."

The release explained that Smith and Black will "serve as the faces of SportsCenter NEXT's newest merchandise collection," and the initiative "features interviews and behind-the-scenes content with the two athletes captured in collaboration with Paragon Sports Marketing and showcases a blend of sports, culture and style that speaks to ESPN's commitment to audience expansion."

Smith and Black have not yet announced their college commitments, but it's clear that the future is bright for both of them. Their deals with ESPN will open the door for more rising young athletes to collaborate with media companies as they develop their brands.