How backup freshman guard struck it rich on social media, can retire already
By Brent Schrotenboer
Published on March 11, 2026.
South Carolina freshman Eli Ellis, a backup guard for the South Carolina basketball team, has earned enough money from NIL deals to retire, according to his father, Jeremy Ellis. Ellis, who has over 2.1 million social media followers, ranks him fifth among Division I men's college basketball players and has secured brand deals with companies like Under Armour, Fortnite, and Dr. Pepper. He recently bought a million-dollar lake house in North Carolina and has made so much money from his name, image and likeness that he could retire from work. This makes him the future of college athletes as a social media entrepreneur who also plays a good player. Despite not being a top NBA prospect yet, Ellis has made a fortune off of his NIL business. He has 1.4 million followers on TikTok, 690,000 on Instagram and 6,400 on X, and 55,000 subscribers on YouTube.
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