Sam Phillips is making us stand for the flag. Or at least, a gorgeous man in a speedo!
The gymnastics star spent his Fourth of July on a boat, flashing his red swim trunks and rippling torso. The bikini brief was provided by a company called BANG!® Miami, a men’s beachwear and athleisure collection.
It’s fair to say that Phillips melted the camera’s lenses. Hot! 🔥🔥🔥
How about we take this to the next level?
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A champion gymnast, Phillips, 22, is growing into a different moniker: NIL King. He’s taken full advantage of the NCAA’s new rules allowing athletes to profit off of their name, image and likeness (NIL). Earlier this summer, he was named the NIL Male Athlete of the Year!
The Southern California native enjoys sponsorship deals with apparel giants such as Adidas, Steve Madden and Wish. That’s not to mention Stanley Water Bottles, Adobe and Movember. For the latter, Phillips promoted awareness for testicular cancer.
The man even cooks… literally!
In an interview with Queerty, Phillips says he’s always been a fashionista with a love for the camera. You could say it runs in the family… his dad is an actor.
“I love [modeling]! It’s another form of artistic expression,” he said. “I think it’s beautiful, and a great way to show off yourself and your essence and your body. While doing so, you become comfortable in your skin, and express yourself how you want to. Literally, every picture is different. You can explore and illustrate 1,000 different expressions.”
As far as fashion influences, Phillips cites Billy Porter, Colman Domingo and Zendaya.
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Gymnast Sam Phillips on modeling, fashion influences & landing the perfect floor routine
Phillips is a team captain for the Nebraska men’s gymnastics team, and redefining stardom in college athletics.
While the fit is important, Phillips says a company’s values are most crucial.
“I want to partner with a company who’s not going to shy away from who I am and is going to help me express myself,” he told ESPN in a recent interview. “Using my platform for my advocacy is vitally important for me, so partnering with brands that can let me tell my story and share that side of me is so important.”
As a Black queer athlete who’s spent the last four years in Nebraska, Phillips says he puts an emphasis on working with Black-and queer-owned businesses. One of those brands is Our Color, a company that makes skin-colored athletic tape for Black and brown gymnasts.
“It’s definitely more like [those businesses] are taking care of me,” he said. “A lot of these smaller brands, it’s a really face-to-face, very personal relationship. The hospitality is just 10 times more [present].”
Phillips will spend the final season of his college eligibility competing for the Illinois Fighting Illini, transferring from Nebraska. He ended his outstanding career as a Corn Husker with a stellar showing at the U.S. Championships.
Transferring is rare in NCAA men’s gymnastics, given there are only 12 teams in Division 1. With that in mind, Phillips finishing his career at Illinois is a big deal.
As an added bonus, Phillips is joining one of the most inclusive teams in Division 1 men’s athletics. Visibility is always at the top of his mind.
Though Phillips was embraced by his teammates, he says it was lonely being the only out male athlete at Nebraska.
“Collegiate male athletics is a very masculine-dominated space, a lot of locker room talk, and you spend a lot of time with boys aged 18 to 23 who are also finding themselves out in the world,” he said. “It was tough being the only out male athlete at Nebraska.”
With a growing platform, Phillips is helping other young gay athletes feel less alone. The recent college grad is making a difference, and looking good while doing it.
What more could one want?
