The hottest name to close out the 2024 season? Has to be Bryce Underwood. The 17-year-old phenom kept college football programs on their toes. Then came the big chase. While the quarterback was committed to Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers, Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Wolverines successfully snatched him away. Yes, he is yet to show his power on the gridiron in Ann Arbor, but Underwood is already making noise with his off-field shenanigans. The young chap is the proud owner of a $10.5 million NIL deal. And when it comes to the world of sports, he is now a common face on the sidelines of MLB games. This time, Underwood graced the NBA game with his presence too. And it did come with a sweet gift. A seal of approval from a $3.45 billion NBA giant.
The excitement is already hitting the roof in Ann Arbor. After all, after a big chase, they brought in the nation’s No. 1 recruit, five-star quarterback Underwood, from up the road in Belleville. Yes, he is only 17, all set to take up the important role in the Big Ten. But he had already lived up to the hype this spring. Underwood was 12 of 26 for 187 yards with a scrimmage-ending, 88-yard pass to tight end Jalen Hoffman on a reverse flea-flicker in a 17-0 win for the Blue over the Maize. With this, he did earn a clean chit from Moore. “He did well. Made some really, good throws and had some things we need to clean up and get better at.” For the time being, there are no games in hand for the Wolverines.
So, Underwood is now often spotted exploring his interests in other sports. NBA fans were on the edge of their seats for the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks face-off on May 1st. Even though the Pistons witnessed a close 113-116 loss against the New York Knicks, they got home with some good memories. In the stands, Underwood was present to cheer for them. And the NBA giant did give the Michigan quarterback a big shoutout for his support. Posting a picture of Underwood posing, the IG post came with the caption, “Shoutout to @19bryce.__ for coming through tonight.”
This is not the first time Underwood was spotted rooting for the Pistons. The quarterback made appearances this winter at Detroit Pistons games. Back then, he was yet to sign with Moore’s squad. However, a day before, he made his way to Little Caesar’s Arena to check out the Detroit Pistons game vs. the Milwaukee Bucks. And the game ended on a sweet note for Underwood after he had been made to feel special.
The Pistons shared some of Underwood’s highlights and then announced him as the incoming Michigan football quarterback before presenting him with a Detroit Pistons jersey. Indeed, a special gift, as he got his name and jersey No.19 customized on the gear. Not just the NBA, but MLB too got lucky to have the quarterback’s support.
How has Bryce Underwood’s flip from LSU been a blessing in disguise?
This off-season, Underwood is making the most of his new journey. Maybe he is thanking the universe for Moore giving him the opportunity to swap wagons. Had he stayed at LSU, he would have been able to witness the rich sports culture that Michigan has to offer. Just like the Detroit Pistons are a giant in the NBA league, the Detroit Tigers are equally strong in the MLB league. The former five-star quarterback made his way to Comerica Park on Sunday, April 27. And it came with a double bonus.
Like the Pistons, the Tigers gifted Underwood with a custom jersey. While the quarterback felt like a kid with a new toy, there came a bigger surprise. Underwood got to try his hand at baseball and threw out the first pitch. The Lions could no longer wait to celebrate the big moment. On April 26, they tweeted some pictures from Underwood’s best moments in their camp. The caption read, “The hometown kid!” Had he been in LSU, he would not be eligible for such an honor, as there are no professional MLB baseball teams in Louisiana.
Amidst visiting other sports programs, Bryce Underwood did not forget to flex his big NIL fortune. On March 10, the Michigan QB made an IG post that contained a series of snaps with the caption, “.” Out of all the snaps, a picture captured him posing in front of a pearly white-colored Lamborghini Urus worth $278k. He did soft-launch the interior as well. It has a 10.1-inch touchscreen for navigation and an 8.6-inch touchscreen for climate control. Underwood’s offseason? More like an all-access thrill ride with no pause button.
The post Bryce Underwood Receives $3.45B NBA Side’s Seal of Approval After Already Making Noise in MLB World appeared first on EssentiallySports.
