(KTLA) – A 9-year-old from Snoop Dogg’s Youth Football League has landed a six-figure name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with a sports agency, becoming the first person from the youth league to do so at such a young age.
Ghalee Wadood Jr.’s father, Ghalee Wadood Sr., shared the news with Nexstar’s KTLA, describing his son as a “standout 9-year-old athlete who excels in football, baseball, track and karate.”
“It’s kinda surreal,” Ghalee Wadood Sr. said while reflecting on the moment his son signed the deal. “It’s humbling and exciting for [the agency] to see his potential and want to manage him.”
Ghalee Wadood Jr. will be working with Family 4 Life, a sports agency that already represents players from NFL teams including the New England Patriots, the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants.
Wadood Sr. described the deal as a “business portfolio executed by the founder of the sports agency.”
The young football star, who hasn’t even reached double digits in age yet, has already made a name for himself in the football world, partially due to his unique last name.
Wadood Jr.’s father works as an associate manager for high school football within the Los Angeles Rams organization, his uncle was the commissioner for Snoop Dogg’s Youth Football League, and he has a plethora of cousins who have always loved the game of football and serve as coaches for various college football departments.
The younger Wadood is also forging his own path in the football world. During his first year playing tackle football, Ghalee Wadood Jr. was named Snoop’s MVP, an honor typically not given to first-year players.
“For him to win that, in his first year, it just speaks volumes,” Ghalee Wadood Sr. said. “No first-year kid has ever won such a prestigious award in a really competitive league.”
Snoop Dogg, an avid football fan, founded the youth league in 2005. The non-profit program offers a way for inner-city kids to participate in youth football and cheer programs, according to the league’s website page.
Notable football players such as Super Bowl champion JuJu Smith-Schuster and Los Angeles Charger linebacker Daiyan Henley, made it to the NFL after their time at Snoop Dogg’s Youth Football League, according to Football USA.
While it’s a notable accomplishment that a 9-year-old has signed such a coveted deal, the younger Wadood didn’t completely understand its importance at first. Ghalee Wadood Sr. recalled his son asking what a sports agency was when he shared the news.
However, he was happy to hear about the massive payday.
As the summer season kicks off, Ghalee Wadood Jr. will be spending his time training for the upcoming football season, taking a set of professional headshots as a part of his new NIL deal, and spending time with his family.
Despite his growing success, Ghalee Wadood Sr. wants to ensure his son has a normal childhood.
“I just want him to stay on the course and hope he doesn’t get too satisfied too early and continues to work hard,” Ghalee Wadood Sr. said.
