SALT LAKE CITY — It's almost like Oprah Winfrey is the guardian angel looking over University of Utah athletes.
You get a car! You get a car! You get a car!
For the second time in a few months, Utes athletes are being gifted brand new SUVs and pickup trucks as part of one of the largest NIL deals in collegiate sports.
The Utah women's and men's basketball teams, as well as the Red Rocks gymnastics team, were given the surprise of a lifetime Wednesday on the court of the Huntsman Center.
As large holiday gift boxes were opened, the Utes athletes learned they would be getting their choice of either a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Edition or a 2024 Ram 1500 Big Horn truck.
The players danced, posed and took pictures in front of their future rides, gifted to them as part of the Utah Crimson Collective which supports the school's student-athletes.
Back in October, the Utes football team received a similar deal, with each player getting a Ram pickup truck.
"I don't think I ever would have seen this coming," said Utes basketball player Dasia Young. "When football got it, I was like, 'Dang, they're so lucky,' like I wish, and then this happened. I was, like, no way, like, this is best Christmas gift ever!"
For Utah center Branden Carlson, the gift gives some much-needed transportation relief to his family.
"I was sharing [a car] with my wife," he explained. "So it's gonna be nice not to have to do that now. She's very happy about it."
All the athletes agreed that the splashy gifts should play a big role in upcoming Utah recruitment efforts.
"I would think it's definitely a sway," said Utes gymnast Alani Sabado, "and I feel like Utah has a lot of support like the Crimson Collective and just the university itself that it stands out and it makes it a unique program.
