While she was still playing at Iowa and before turning pro, Clark was getting deals to endorse national products - like State Farm.

State Farm didn't sign a deal with her and pay her to be on TV ads because she was playing at Iowa. They did it because she became a big deal, recognizable name, and they wanted to be associated with that. I'm absolutely positive that the folks driving the State Farm advertising dept aren't all Iowa fans who paid her to play at Iowa. And this is supported by the fact that they didn't start paying her or playing her ads until well into her senior season.

So - he was right. Caitlin Clark is a great example of how NIL is supposed to work and how it was envisioned. The post college shoe deal is not an example of that. The during-season State Farm deal is.