NIL Deals and High School Athletes: A Philadelphia Councilmember Seeks Structure to Aid High Schoolers | Isaiah Thomas

NIL deals are still making waves in high school sports, but a Philadelphia councilmember is already looking to support high school students who have NIL opportunities, to help them avoid pitfalls and predatory financial behavior. Councilmemeber Isaiah Thomas speaks about his efforts and why attorneys should be paying attention to this issue.

Councilmember Isaiah Thomas has put the success of young people at the forefront of his work. Whether in the classroom, on the basketball court, or in City Hall - he believes that education, opportunity and coalition building is the way to make a Philadelphia that works for all of us.

Councilmember Thomas has non-profit, government and private sector experience which allows him to hear multiple sides of an issue and receive input from a variety of stakeholders. He has helped young people get the best possible education, provided out-of-school time (OST) programming, strengthened communities of color and worked to improve civic education across the city.

In his freshman year on Council, Councilmember Thomas was named Chair of the Streets Committee and Vice Chair of the Children and Youth Committee. He also sits on the Appropriations, Disabled and Persons with Special Needs, Education, Creative Economy, Legislative Oversight, Parks and Recreation, Public Health, Public Safety, and Technology Committees.

A proud graduate of Philadelphia public schools, Councilmember Thomas has a Bachelor of Arts from Penn State and a Master of Education from Lincoln University, the oldest degree-granting historically Black college in the nation. He still actively coaches basketball at Sankofa Freedom Academy and is President of the Coaches Association. Thomas lives in Oak Lane with his wife Klissa and their sons, Isaiah Jr. and Isaac.

*audio editing, voice over & music by Nick DeMatteo