For most hoopers, NIL money tends to go toward personal endeavors, but for UNC senior Seth Trimble, it’s going toward a more meaningful purpose. The Tar Heels guard is trying to use it strategically through long-term business investments and also give back to the local communities.

Trimble made his first stride toward this goal with an ice cream shop on Franklin Street. He recently gave a personal tour of his shop to CBS Sports Insider Jonathan Jones. During this tour, Trimble also gave away free ice cream to the children, suggesting that his aspiration for this endeavor goes far beyond business. He also sat down with Jones for a conversation, during which he spoke about the ideals that led him to decide to open an ice cream shop.

“I know the balls aren’t gonna dribble forever, and being more than just a basketball player has always been such a high value in my life,” Trimble said. “The goal of mine is always to leave the biggest print on this University, I know that means so much more than being a basketball player. So, the fact that I can do this and give back to the kids and the community, it means a lot.”

Trimble’s journey with this NIL endeavor began last year in September, when he bought an outlet of the popular ice cream chain Ben & Jerry’s on Franklin Street, near Chapel Hill. The UNC guard had revealed during that time that, along with him, his parents were also immensely interested in this investment idea. Additionally, he also had the aspiration to set a roadmap for the other athletes through this move.

“It’s more than a blessing to be able to call myself a franchise owner, especially in the position I am,” he said. “I’m just trying my best to set my own path, be my own person, and, you know, set an example for athletes to come.”

According to reports, Trimble is the youngest Ben & Jerry’s franchise owner, already a silver lining in his entrepreneurial career. Owning a Ben & Jerry’s franchise is definitely expected to deliver him long-term returns.

Similarly, Trimble isn’t the only UNC athlete to invest NIL funds in local communities. With the North Carolina NIL collective, more and more athletes from the program are joining in to support this cause.

While Seth Trimble’s NIL career is blooming in his senior year, the Tar Heels’ on-court performance has taken a downturn lately. The Tar Heels’ goal to attain a high seed tanked after a quarterfinal exit in the ACC Tournament. Trimble contributed well with 13 points and 8 assists. But despite that, the Tar Heels lost the game to the Clemson Tigers by one point (80-79).

As a result, their positioning for March Madness has become a bit precarious ahead of Selection Sunday.

Seth Trimble Faces a March Madness Challenge With North Carolina Up Next

Despite a defeat in the ACC quarterfinals, it’s quite certain that the Tar Heels will be among the names that go up on March 15. They had a decent regular season, finishing 24-7 with several Quad 1 wins. As a result, projections suggest the team could be a possible fifth- or sixth-seed at the upcoming March Madness. So, the qualification part is the least of their worries for now, but their on-court performance is.

In a broader context, the Tar Heels’ defeat to Clemson didn’t just cost them a higher seed; it also exposed an uncomfortable reality for Trimble’s team. With injury to their star player, Caleb Wilson, the team’s X factor has just diminished overnight. The defense that used to be their stronghold has now become their Achilles’ Heel.

In the Clemson game, the half-court defense was immensely disappointing. The Tar Heels allowed the Tigers to score 47% from beyond the arc. It’s an immensely concerning stat against the unranked Tigers. It raises major doubts about their March Madness ceiling, as such a performance against stronger offenses will just result in a blowout.

And in Wilson’s absence, the responsibility to shoulder the team will fall on Seth Trimble and Henri Veesaar. After all, they are the only players after Wilson who are leading most of the team’s metrics. And combined that with their experience, they become an absolute trump card for the head coach, Hubert Davis, to make a deep run in March Madness.

With the Big Dance set to start in a few days, what are your expectations for this team? Do let us know in the comments.