Runnin' Utes forward becomes first Utah player to sign revenue share agreement

Keanu Dawes and the Utah athletics department have officially entered the new era of college sports.

The 6-foot-9 forward has decided to stick around the Salt Lake City area after becoming the first Utah student-athlete to sign a revenue share agreement with the school, per a news release.

News of Dawes' arrangement follows a U.S. district court judge's decision to grant final approval of a landmark settlement that will allow colleges to directly pay their players through revenue sharing.

Utah athletics director Mark Harlan has already made his intentions of investing up to the maximum allowable in revenue share clear, as well as the creation of 23 new scholarships with a total value of about $1.2 million. Dawes is likely the first but certainly not the last Utes player, then, who will have an opportunity to grow their brand through this new avenue.

Starting July 1, institutions can begin sharing up to $20.5 million per academic year with their student-athletes. The House settlement will also see thousands of former players receive $2.8 billion in back pay and damages from the NCAA and its power conferences over the next decade. These new payments will be made in addition to scholarships and other benefits student-athletes already receive.

The long-awaited decision to cut down the NCAA's 119-year-old amateurism model comes nearly three years after the Utah athletic department organized its Elevate U program, equipping student-athletes with the skills needed to capitalize on their NIL value. Utah student-athletes have earned more than $10 million collectively through charitable NIL activities and have dedicated nearly 7,500 hours to help several organizations achieve their missions and goals.

Dawes is coming off averaging 8.3 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting a team-best 61.4% from the field as a sophomore in 2024-25.

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