On the eve of , there was a fluid state of affairs within the locker room.
The water boy couldn’t discover something to drink.
Nothing available aligned with Finn Barkenaes’ new sponsor, Niagara Bottling, resulting in jokes a couple of private prohibition.
“He can’t drink sure form of drinks as a result of he’s acquired an NIL deal,” stated of the pinnacle pupil supervisor who lately grew to become the primary water boy to land a nationwide model sponsorship. “And I used to be wanting round, they usually stated, ‘No, it’s true.’”
Barkenaes can truly drink no matter he desires, however he’d strongly want it’s a Niagara product.
The Diamond Bar-based firm lately chosen the senior enterprise economics main to be its pitchman for what is perhaps the final word Cinderella story of .
“Let’s be actual, water boys don’t get NIL offers,” Barkenaes stated, “so it’s been fairly cool to be a part of one thing that’s, like, flip the script on issues and get acknowledged, even whether it is in form of a joking method.”
Throughout the subsequent few weeks, Barkenaes will likely be featured on Niagara’s Instagram and different social media platforms, the tagline being that 2025 is the “12 months of the water boy.”
“At Niagara, we imagine unsung heroes like Finn preserve prime athletic packages operating robust with high-quality water,” stated Julia Buchanan, the corporate’s vice chairman of selling and communications. “He was the right selection as our first-ever NIL water boy — his dedication to UCLA athletics is unmatched, and he performs an important function in supporting a legendary program.”
At first, Barkenaes thought the entire thing was a joke. A water boy pitchman? Critically?
He realized in any other case as soon as he began hopping on Zooms with firm executives from across the nation, resulting in his signing a cope with undisclosed phrases. Barkenaes did reveal that he’s already obtained a number of instances of water, with extra prone to come.
“I’m jealous,” Cronin stated as on Thursday at Rupp Enviornment within the first spherical of the NCAA match. “That’s what I simply advised him.”
Handing out water is perhaps the simplest factor Barkenaes does. He and the opposite managers sweep the apply court docket, load tools onto buses and planes, tape simulated basketball courts onto lodge ballroom flooring and check out — in an typically futile effort — to cease the workforce’s large males in apply whereas sporting outsized pads on their arms.
“He’s hitting us, pushing us,” heart stated of Barkenaes.
This isn’t the primary time Barkenaes has been referred to as a water boy. Arizona and Arizona State followers as soon as used the time period to heckle him, however the taunts had the other of their meant impact.
“The entire thought is that we’re out of the highlight, and the individuals who work this job do it as a result of they love basketball they usually love UCLA,” stated Barkenaes, who desires to work in wealth administration or finance after commencement. “All the employees with me, they’re not in it for the highlight and the popularity, so I feel individuals form of embrace it, it’s form of like a chip-on-your-shoulder factor. It’s like, ‘I’m the water boy, I’m the one that individuals sometimes don’t care about.’”
Now he’s the discuss of the locker room, gamers calling Barkenaes “Cash man,” “Niagara boy” and “Water boy.”
He simply smiles, a no person soaking in success.
