The Illinois High School Association’s Board of Directors could vote on a proposal as early as December that would allow high school student-athletes to profit off of their name, image and likeness. A spokesman said the vote could be held in November, but officials now say the language for a proposal will come in October, followed by Town Hall meetings in November, and then a vote a month later.

While the organization’s by-laws don’t currently sanction NIL activity, it turns out officials have already signed off on one deal.

The Chicago Sun Times reported this week that Xamiya Walton, a girls basketball player at Butler College Prep, was the first high school athlete in the state to ask for IHSA’s blessing for an endorsement deal. The product? The Shoot-A-Way Gun, which helps basketball players perform drills on their own.

The company and the IHSA confirmed the deal to Spectrum News.

Mimicking deals allowed in other states, Walton’s promotion of the product doesn’t include video or references to her high school program.

“While the IHSA was able to work through this process with Xamiya Walton and her family, it's important that we have defined rules on the books for future request such as this. Hence, the reason our Board will propose a by-law during our upcoming legislative process,” IHSA spokesman Matt Troha told Spectrum News by email.

Troha said Walton’s was the first official request to come down the pike but that others “have asked some questions that make us think there could be others afoot in the near future.”

NIL deals are largely banned in Missouri for student-athletes attending schools with membership in the State High School Activities Association.

IHSA will consider by-law proposals until Oct. 11, hold town hall meetings in November and vote in December.

If approved, Illinois would become the fourth Missouri border state to allow high school student-athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness, joining Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa.