Who wouldn’t want to team up with Noah Lyles, appear in a campaign with him, and even train alongside the sprint legend? That’s exactly the kind of spotlight Gout Gout grabbed when he joined Lyles under the Adidas banner, turning heads, gaining fame, and training with one of the fastest men on the planet. Opportunities like this are rare, but they do exist. Case in point: 18-year-old Maurice Gleaton recently earned his shot to join Lyles’ team, thanks to a game-changing NIL deal. Curious about how he made it happen?

18-year-old sprinter Maurice Gleaton just inked an NIL deal with Adidas, teaming up to showcase both his talent and the iconic brand. In a sizzling teaser, Maurice rocked the Adidas red jacket, black shorts, and white sneakers while hitting the track and training hard. He also shared striking shots from the campaign on Instagram, captioning them, “THREE STRIPES LIFE \\ @adidas.” Welcoming the young star, Noah Lyles’ coach, Lance Brauman, commented, “Welcome to the /// family!!”

Being one of the top talents of the country, it was just natural for Adidas to choose Gleaton as their next partner. At the Region 3-5A meet on April 25 at Northside-Columbus, the 18-year-old made history by breaking the state record in the 100m, becoming the first athlete to run it under 10 seconds with a phenemenol 9.98. In his attempt, he edged Christian Coleman, who in 2015 tied Mount Zion-Jonesboro’s D’Angelo Cherry’s 2008 record of 10.16 seconds. After equalling the record, Coleman went on to claim the gold at both the World Athletics Championships indoor and outdoor events.

Gleaton is blazing a similar trail in the 200m, relentlessly chasing the fastest. With a personal best of 20.61 seconds, he sits just behind Tyreek Hill (20.14, 2012) and Ryan Clark (20.46, 2015). This season has been phenomenal, highlighted by a sizzling 9.87 at the Star Athletics Sprint Series in Winter Garden, FL, June 2025. With his recent NIL deal, Gleaton could one day share the spotlight with Noah Lyles.

For now, he’s set to sprint for the University of Georgia on a full scholarship next year, with his eyes firmly on Olympic glory, “I’m going to continue competing with other great athletes, continue to get better, then go pro and hopefully go to the Olympics. “I don’t like losing. I like to be better every time I race. There’s never a perfect race, and that’s a big thing for me. With the competition that’s out there, I always like to improve,” said Gleaton in his conversation with AJC sports.

As he embarks on his exciting new journey with Adidas, the athlete is poised to gain significant attention—but it’s worth noting that he isn’t the only rising star to have caught the brand’s eye.

Athletes recently earning NIL deals with Adidas

Adidas significantly expanded its NIL partnership in 2025 after the NCAA changed the rules back in 2021. The $32.37 billion sports apparel giant has signed several high-profile athletes across various sports. Back in June 2025, Adidas introduced the Adizero Class of 2025, featuring standout high-school recruits. In the batch, there was wide receiver Tristen Keys, committed to LSU, and top-ranked linebacker Tyler Atkinson.

Furthermore, the record-breaking pole vaulter from Roberts Wesleyan University, Brynn King, recently signed a four-year professional contract with Adidas in July 2025. The exclusive deal with Adidas will extend through the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, marking a significant milestone in his athletic career as well as Adidas’s diverse investments in the upcoming future giants.

Moreover, the Ohio State University freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith also signed an NIL endorsement agreement with Adidas in July 2025. These are just a few examples that showcase that the multi-billion-dollar giant is shaping the future in its own way with Noah Lyles as its poster boy. Given that, what do you think about Adidas’ recent signing?