By Scarlet Thalman
BCR Correspondent
Berrien County, MI — Zo’s Mini Donuts, a local business founded by teen entrepreneur Zoey Heyn, recently signed eight high school athletes in Southwest Michigan to be part of a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal. The agreement involves these students participating in a professional photoshoot eating Zo’s donuts and wearing brand merchandise, as well as serving as brand ambassadors by posting on social media in exchange for compensation.
This deal comes after growing discussion about high school NIL in Michigan, beginning in 2023 with the introduction of House Bill 4816 in the Michigan Legislature. The bill would have officially legalized NIL opportunities for high school athletes at the state level but has remained stalled in the Senate, ultimately preventing its passage. While the legislation has not been enacted, the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) moved forward independently.
On January 27, 2026, the MHSAA Representative Council voted to change its bylaws and made a landmark decision to expand “personal branding activities,” commonly referred to as NIL, to high school student-athletes.
Because the decision was made by the MHSAA rather than the state legislature, the organization retains full authority over eligibility and restrictions regarding these deals and can impose stricter limits than those seen in other states.
Some of the restrictions placed on athletes include a prohibition on negotiations, arrangements, or promotion of deals by coaches or schools. In addition, student-athletes are not allowed to use school branding—such as school names, mascots, logos, or uniforms—in their promotions. Pay-for-play arrangements are also prohibited, meaning compensation cannot be tied to a student’s athletic performance. Along with these restrictions, any deals must be disclosed to the MHSAA at least seven days before signing for approval. These rules were put in place to ensure that NIL agreements remain separate from school athletic programs.
Amid this decision, high school senior Zoey Heyn, founder of Zo’s Mini Donuts, a chain of donut trucks in Southwest Michigan, signed eight Southwest Michigan basketball players from various schools, including Niles, Lakeshore, and Benton Harbor. On Sunday, February 8, 2026, Brayden Favors from Niles High School; Kesean Hobbs and Zameir Clayton from Benton Harbor High School; Brayden Holok and Sydney Thomas from Lakeshore High School; Mackenna Price from Brandywine High School; Brady Belasco from Berrien Springs High School; and Lainie Dorow from St. Joseph High School signed their contracts.
The deal followed MHSAA policy through Zoey and Lydia Heyn using a third party, Michiana Hoops—an Instagram page founded by Jordon Sittig with the goal of giving local high school basketball players more visibility—to identify high-performing, diverse basketball players from different schools across the region. The signing ceremony was also not held on school property, and in all promotional materials the athletes are shown in Zo’s Mini Donuts gear or plain clothes, never in their high school uniforms.
With the MHSAA update to its regulations, along with recent data showing Michigan ranking 11th nationally for business survival—with 53.9% of businesses started in 2019 still operating in 2024—a relatively stable backdrop for ventures like Zo’s Mini Donuts has been created. This environment has made it possible for businesses to leverage NIL deals with local athletes to further boost long-term success. The Zo’s Mini Donuts agreement has created a roadmap for how to conduct an NIL deal with high school students while avoiding legal trouble, and its success may mark the beginning of many more similar business ventures across Michigan.