New NIL deal helps Boise State basketball team’s leading scorer perfect his drives

One of Boise State’s most promising young basketball players is traveling around town in style thanks to an NIL deal with the Lyle Pearson Auto Group.

Tyson Degenhart, the reigning Mountain West Freshman of the Year, got a 2019 Acura MDX out of the deal that he’s been driving since last summer. It’s valued at $25,000-$30,000, according to Kelley Blue Book.

In exchange, he agreed to promote the dealership on social media, make future appearances and allow Lyle Pearson to use his name, image and likeness in ads.

“It’s an awesome car, and I’m happy to represent Lyle Pearson because it’s a great company,” Degenhart told the Idaho Statesman on Thursday. A spokesperson for Lyle Pearson declined to comment.

Degenhart is one of three Boise State athletes who have landed NIL deals with local dealerships, following volleyball player Paige Bartsch and football player Riley Smith, both of whom signed deals with Lithia Ford.

Degenhart’s deal is structured a little differently. He put a down payment on the SUV, but Lyle Pearson is covering the monthly payments. Bartsch and Smith are basically leasing vehicles from Lithia Ford. They’re responsible for paying the insurance and taxes.

Degenhart said he needed a car after moving to an off-campus apartment last year. He drove his mom’s 2010 Ford Explorer in high school, so he was excited to upgrade.

He turned to his mom again as he was trying to decide which vehicle to pick, and she suggested he test drive an MDX. She was right. As usual, he said.

“You should always listen to your mom because she’s always right,” Degenhart said.

The 6-foot-7 native of Spokane, Washington, committed to Boise State in 2019, long before NIL was part of the national landscape. He said he didn’t know how big a deal it would be, but he always knew landing a deal was secondary to success on the court.

“I figured if I performed on the court, the deals would come,” Degenhart said. “NIL is going to be there, but I came here to be a student-athlete, win games and get a degree.”

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Degenhart has seen plenty of success on the court. He was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week nine times last year and finished the season averaging 9.9 points and 3.9 rebounds a game. This season, he’s averaging a team-high 14.2 points a game.

He’s been busy on the NIL front, too. He’s the face of the “Degenhart Dozen” at local bakery Pastry Perfection, his personalized T-shirt was one of the Broncos’ best sellers last year and he’s been hosting Shoot 360 skills camps back home in Spokane.

Degenhart also recently signed a deal with Dairy West in Meridian, which promotes the dairy industry and its products locally, nationally and globally, according to its website. He declined to disclose the financial aspects of the deal but said he’ll promote the brand and its Unbottled campaign on social media.

Degenhart said landing NIL deals has been an educational process, and he’s looking forward to what the next couple of years may bring.

“You don’t want to hype yourself up too much to these companies, but you have to be confident in yourself and know what you bring to the table,” he said. “Basketball and school will always be my focus, but I’m willing to listen to whatever comes my way.”