UConn stars appear on game-used court NIL trading cards

The Players Trunk has released a limited-edition NIL trading card series featuring UConn basketball stars Adama Sanogo, Andre Jackson and Tristen Newton. All three players were key members of UConn’s run to the 2022-2023 national championship.

Trading cards are not exactly new entries into the NIL space. But what makes The Players Trunk’s version unique is the cards are officially licensed by UConn and feature pieces of the court from Gampel Pavilion.

The 34-year-old facility is going through a $300 million upgrade. The renovations allowed The Players Trunk to work with UConn to include a 1/16 inch by 1/16-inch piece of game-used floor on the cards. The pieces feature either traditional natural wood colors or blue or white pieces from the lanes, including the Big East logo.

The Players Trunk co-founder Hunter Pomerantz said the cards are “selling great so far.” Each card is uniquely numbered and foil stamped, he said. Jackson and Sanogo each have 175 cards for sale. Newton has 150 cards available. The cards are $50 apiece.

“This extraordinary collectible not only captures the essence of UConn greatness,” Pomerantz told On3. “But it also embeds within it a piece of the game-used court, forever connecting fans to the heart and soul of the Husky legacy.”

The Players Trunk was launched by former Michigan Wolverines basketball players Charles Matthews, Zavier Simpson, and managers Jason Lansing, Austin and Hunter Pomerantz. The company is a platform for former college athletes to capitalize on the gear they earned during their college careers.