Aahana Swrup
Prime Video’s sport-centered docuseries ‘The Money Game’ follows the professional lives of a number of athletes from Louisiana State University who find themselves in a whole new ballpark once a new ruling allows them to receive compensation from their name, images, and likeness. Through NIL policies, these college athletes—from star quarterback players to lesser-known talents—each find the opportunity to expand their future and build their own brands. Yet, the landmark ruling comes with its own uncertainties as the industry is forced to wonder how this new reality would change the landscape of College sports forever.
Through the expansive narratives of athletes, including Angel Reese, Flau’jae Johnson, Jayden Daniels, Olivia Dunne, Alia Armstrong, and Trace Young, ‘The Money Game’ strives to gain a deep dive into the same. Naturally, after accompanying these college athletes on this journey, fans are bound to grow eager to learn more about their current lives!
Olivia Dunne Returns for Another Year at LSU as Her Career Soars
Competing as an artistic gymnast since she was seven, Olivia “Livvy” Dunne, now 21, has already charted an invigorating path in her athletic career. After competing at Junior and Senior Elite levels, she joined LSU’s Tigers gymnastics team in 2020. As a part of the Tigers, she shared her team’s achievements as they won the SEC Championships and NCAA Championships in early 2024. Although she could’ve graduated this year, having completed her four years at LSU, Dunne opted to return for an extra year, granted to many college athletes who lost a year of participation to the pandemic. As per the docuseries, the young gymnast has also bought a house in Baton Rouge for herself and her dog, Roux, cementing her place in Louisiana for now.
Dunne has previously shared how she has always known qualifying at the Olympics would remain an unfulfilled dream of hers due to a previous ankle injury. Therefore, it seems the young gymnast plans on furthering her athletic career by taking on the National Championship with her Tigers teammates. However, although she didn’t plan on going to the Olympics as an athlete, Dunne attended the 2024 Paris Olympics as a spectator to support Team USA. Furthermore, she publicly celebrated renowned Gymnast Simone Biles’ performance during her comeback year to the competition.
Likewise, Dunne remains a consistently vocal enthusiast of another sport, baseball, as she supports her boyfriend, Paul Skenes, who is the pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In fact, fans can often find her cheering Skenes on—be it from the stands at his games, red carpet events, or simply her X (formerly known as Twitter) account. Dunne also remains a proverbial cheerleader for other LSU teams spanning different sports. Recently, in September, she attended the riveting football game between the Nicholls Colonels and the Tigers.
Simultaneously, alongside juggling her life as a college athlete, Dunne is also pursuing her career as an influencer in full force. In January, as The Tigers competed at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad meet in Utah, Dunne documented her experiences, recently putting the vlog out to her fans on her YouTube Channel. She also continues collaborating with brands across her TikTok and Instagram accounts. Recently, she attended Michael Rubin’s coveted annual White Party in the Hamptons, where the Kardashians and Leonardo DiCaprio were also reportedly in attendance. Thus, by all accounts, Olivia Dunne seems to be on the track toward success!
Jayden Daniels is Living the Dream as an NFL Quarterback
During his college football career, Jayden Daniels had already become a star player after three seasons under the Arizona State Sun Devils and two under the LSU Tigers. Even so, unlike many of his contemporaries, he didn’t seriously pursue a career in content creation, partaking in only a few brand deals through NIL after 2020. Still, his collaborations remained big profile, as he partnered with brands such as Raising Cane’s, Urban Outfitters, and more. On the other hand, he kept a single-minded focus on the game and won the 2023 Heisman Trophy in his last college football season. Naturally, when 2024’s Draft Day came around in July, Daniels was one of the ones to keep an eye out for. In the end, he ended up being the second overall pick and joined the Washington Commanders.
Since becoming an official NFL Player, Daniels has skyrocketed further into stardom. Consequently, in the past few months, he has partnered with Nissan on an AD campaign alongside the popular former professional football player Reggie Bush. His NFL drafting also resulted in an exciting feature in EA’s Madden 25 video game. Nevertheless, the athlete’s most prominent source of fame remains his much anticipated NFL debut. As the Quarterback for Washington Commanders, the football player has a lot riding on his shoulders for the 2024 NFL season. The Commanders played their first game of the tournament against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in September 2024.
Though Daniels’ team ended up losing the match, the quarterback cemented himself as a force to be reckoned with through his excellent performance, which included two rushing touchdowns. During his debut, he gave his first touchdown ball to his mother, Regina Jackson, in a heartwarmingly sweet gesture. However, save for the occasional glimpse into his personal life through such moments or his social media presence; the pro football player prefers to keep his private life under wraps. Thus, as it stands, Daniels continues to prioritize the NFL season as he prepares for the Commanders’ upcoming match against the New York Giants.
Angel Reese: An Injury Ended the Season Early For The WNBA Player
Between her years at Maryland and LSU, Angel Reese maintained a spectacular career for herself as a college basketball player. As her performance in the court earned her a winning reputation and many fans, she expanded upon the same by carving out a notable identity for herself as a social media influencer. Therefore, it came as no surprise when she decided against a fifth college year with the LSU Tigers and instead took the WNBA route. Consequently, in the 2024 draft, Reese was picked by the Chicago Sky basketball team, making her professional debut in May.
As the Chicago Sky Forward, Reese continued to perform excellently, even securing the WNBA all-time single-season record for consecutive double-doubles in June. As such, she earned the WNBA Rookie of the Month for June. The player also sported a regular on-court rivalry with Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark, one of Reese’s longtime contemporaries. Although the two athlete’s fans often grow passionate about this rivalry, both women have only had good things to say about each other once off the court.
However, as of September 6, Reese’s engrossing WNBA season has come to an unfortunate end. In a game against the Los Angeles Sparks, the player sustained a wrist injury requiring season-ending surgery. Even though the athlete is expected to return for Year 2, the incident has abruptly ended her rookie year. “It’s not easy at 22—at 22 going through this, but I give myself grace,” Reese said in an Instagram LIVE while discussing her injury. “I’m so happy for my rookie year. I did amazing for my expectations, for what I wanted. Obviously, I wanted more, but God’s timing, it’s not was my timing.”
Thus, with the premature end of her rookie year at the WNBA, Reese continues to grow her brand through her online presence. She continues collaborating with various fashion brands, such as Revolve, Reebok, Alexander Wang, and more—and launched a limited edition collection with Reese’s Pieces. Recently, she also undertook a trip to Paris with her friends, attended a Louis Vuitton event, and visited classic tourist sports, including the Eiffel Tower and Disneyland. Furthermore, Reese is also venturing into an exciting new avenue with the launch of her podcast, ‘Unapologetically Angel.’
Flau’jae Johnson is Efficiently Balancing a Rapping and Basketball Career
Flau’jae Johnson maintained an impressive career in basketball from her high school years when she earned several achievements and accolades. At the same time, she was making a name for herself through her musical aspirations. Johnson, the daughter of Jason Johnson, a.k.a, the popular rapper Camouflage, who died in an unsolved murder before her birth, has always aspired to follow in her father’s footsteps. As such, she auditioned for and participated in 2018’s ‘America’s Got Talent,’ where she advanced to the quarterfinals. Afterward, she started college at LSU in 2022 and joined the Tigers in her freshman year as the shooting guard.
In the coming years, Johnson maintained a dual career as an aspiring rapper and a college athlete, garnering a substantial fanbase for herself. Furthermore, through the NIL deals with notable brands like Puma and Taco Bell, her celebrity continued to grow. In 2023, Johnson earned the Freshman of the Year title, and her team—which included Angel Reese—won the national championship. Today, as a Junior, the 20-year-old basketball player continues to play for the LSU Tigers as the Team Captain. Simultaneously, she continues to grow her musical career under Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label.
In her basketball off-season, Johnson was focused on the rollout of her sophomore album ‘Best of Both Worlds,’ recently releasing multiple music videos for the record. The album also sported a Lil Wayne feature, ‘Came Out A Beast,’ which made it to 2024 NFL Songs of the Season playlist. In July, she also collaborated with Culture Jam, BIA, and Lakeyah on the single ‘Can’t Get Enough,’ a self-proclaimed official anthem for the WNBA. Johnson also hosted her second annual Back 2 School Giveback Festival, an event full of music, food, and general merriment that helps kids prepare for their return to school. Simultaneously, she hosts a podcast, ‘Best of Both Worlds with Flau’jae,’ where she interviews a number of guests, including her “momager” Kia Brooks, Jerzy Robinson, and Paige Bueckers.
Alia Armstrong is Currently Pursuing Social Media Content Creation
Since day one, Alia Armstrong has always had her eyes on the prize. After winning multiple state titles at the LHSAA State Championships in 2019, along with other prior achievements, Armstrong entered the LSU track team to advance her career as a hurdler through college athletics. In 2023, during her Junior year, she scored the NCAA National Champion title after winning the SEC Outdoor 100-meter Hurdles championship. At the same time, she continued creating content on social media, growing her audience with time. Eventually, in May of 2024, Armstrong graduated from LSU and went after her longtime dream of qualifying for the US National Olympic Team.
Unfortunately, Armstrong ended up not qualifying for the team, putting her Olympic dreams on hold momentarily. Nevertheless, the athlete continues to shine as she continues pursuing her career as an influencer. She recently signed up with Under Icon Management consultancy agency in July and maintains a consistent social media presence. Likewise, she also remains steady in her professional partnership with Gordon McKernan, the Louisiana personal injury & accident lawyer.
After years of competition, Armstrong seems to be on a break for now as she enjoyed a vacation in Mexico’s Tulum Beaches in August. More recently, she attended the premiere of ‘The Money Game,’ alongside some of her fellow athletes, including Trace Young, Olivia Dunne, and Flau’jae Johnson. Ultimately, the young athlete is steadfast in her faith as a devout Christian and remains on the path she knows God has set forward for her.
Trace Young is Thriving as an Athlete/Content Creator
From his time at Colorado State University, Trace Young has always sported a love for filming, cinematography, and editing. Naturally, the same resulted in an early establishment as a content creator for the young athlete. By the time he had changed schools and transferred to LSU in 2023, he was already sporting a prominent fan base with opportunities for brand deals. While at LSU, where he played the Guard position on the Tigers team, Young’s online following continued to grow, compelling him to dabble in some modeling. Now, in 2024, he’s finishing his final fifth year at LSU as a senior, looking forward to a 2025 graduation.
Meanwhile, Young’s career as an influencer continues to thrive even outside of the content he makes as a college athlete. While his Day in The Life vlogs as a basketball player certainly attract fanfare from the audience, he has also started venturing into more classic “influencer” content. Recently, he shared vlogs on his YouTube Channel chronicling his vacation in Italy and Miami. Likewise, he also remains in partnership with the brand Steve Madden. Thus, Young is currently diligently following his passions—be it college basketball or otherwise.
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