Keyshawn Miller recently announced his first name-image-and-likeness (N.I.L.) deal with Astorre Faenza, a New York clothing brand. Miller is a 6-foot-3 junior at John Jay College in Manhattan, who went to junior college at Herkimer College. Last month, Miller closed the year out by being named Men’s Basketball Player Of The Week in back-to-back weeks in the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC), and his team is currently 11-5.
The owner of Astorre Faenza, Terrence Upshaw, a former athlete himself, started his clothing brand a few years back and once he was cleared by the NCAA to become an N.I.L. sponsor, he knew he wanted an athlete from his hometown to receive the first deal. Rolling out caught up with Miller to talk more about his basketball journey and his latest deal.
What does it mean to have an N.I.L. deal from a hometown clothing brand?
I’ll be honest with you. It was a great opportunity for me and he is like a big brother to me. So we grew up together, but he left New York to better his opportunity in sports. I ain’t gonna lie, growing up, I used to play football. Me and my little cousins, we used to watch him. We used to watch his highlights and all that on YouTube. And so with him making his own brand and then him hitting me up with the opportunity. It was really a full-circle moment.
What made you start taking basketball seriously?
When I was young, I used to really love football. I used to really love football because my brothers played it, my cousin played it, everybody played it. I was around, so I was on the football team. I was nice in football too. One year, I went to a midnight [basketball] game. And I mean, where I’m from, Yonkers, we call it called Midnight at the Net. I went to a midnight game one day and it was lit. Seeing how like the town came out for the games and all that. How active and deep the crowd was. Made me want to start taking hooping serious.
What are some of your favorite high school basketball moments in New York?
So my senior year, I won the Yonkers. It’s like a city tournament, basically eight high schools, we all in a bracket, like March Madness type joint. Whoever wins, you got bragging rights. My entire three years of playing at Saunders High, I ain’t lose the city chip once. I’m just letting that be known. I remember breaking out senior year of high school and averaging like 22 [points a game]. I remember before this one game, it was a huge game against St. Michaels Catholic High School, and my coach was panicking because they were pretty good. I’m in the crib by myself and I fall asleep. I wake up and my mom banging on the door. My mom like, “Yo, you got these people calling me, panicking, thinking you got stabbed or something cause you’re not answering the phone.” I’m like, “What you mean?” I check my phone and I had at least 50 missed calls. Teammates, coaches, mom, all that. I pulled up right before the game start and finish with 22 [points], 11 rebounds, and the game-winning free throws.
What is some advice you have for players heading into JUCO?
You just gotta just stay consistent in the gym, listen to your coach and actually do your schoolwork. Cause like JUCO may look like it’s nothing, but it’s really easy to get a good school out of a JUCO. Like, if you really put that work in, you can really get a school. It’s really easy. I didn’t take full advantage. I regret not taking the gym access and all that that I had. I was in there, but I wasn’t in there, not as much as I should have been.
What is something you appreciate about Terrance?
There’s a lot that he does off the scenes that we can’t really talk about. You know what I’m saying? It’s a lot of stuff that he helps me with and did for me that I don’t really talk about. … He deserves his flowers. You feel me? Like his creativity with the designs, the look of his clothes, and he’s doing that straight off his mind. I don’t think anybody is really helping him to fund and create his brand.
