Public school athletes in North Carolina allowed to earn money through NIL deals, Wake County judge rules

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Public school athletes across North Carolina will soon be able to earn money off their name, image and likeness, according to a ruling from a judge on Tuesday.

This decision from Wake County Superior Court Judge Graham Shirley reverses course on a state board policy that blocked high school athletes from making a profit off NIL deals.

Tuesday’s ruling concerned a lawsuit filed by the family of Grimsley High School quarterback Faizon Brandon , who’s viewed as the No. 1 ranked prospect in the country for the 2026 class. He’s verbally committed to play college football at Tennessee.

“We are extremely happy with the court’s well-reasoned decision today, which we believe was the right outcome,” Mike Ingersoll, the attorney for the Brandon family, said in a statement.

“It’s been a long and hard fight, but we are grateful to God that justice has been served, not only for Faizon but for all public high school students in North Carolina,” Rolanda Brandon, Faizon’s mother, said in a statement. “We want to thank our lawyers, Mike Ingersoll and Matthew Tilley, and the entire team at Womble Bond Dickinson for working so diligently on this case for us. We would also like to thank our family, friends, community, and all of those who have offered support during our time of waiting for this decision. We humbly appreciate you all.”

The ruling will go into effect once the written order, which is planned to be submitted to Shirley in the coming days, is officially signed, Ingersoll said.

“We are proud to work with the Brandon family and are excited for our client and the opportunities he will soon be able to maximize upon entry of the court’s written order,” he added.

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