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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri men's basketball's leading scorer is the latest athlete from the school to receive his own branded snack, extending MU's line of name, image, likeness deals around retail food.

Forward Mark Mitchell's "Spicy Queso Hoops" — think Funyuns but with a hot, cheesy flavor — will soon be available in area Schnucks and convenience stores. The instantly recognizable bags feature, among other things, an illustration of Mitchell dunking a basketball through the snacks.

Mitchell is the 36th Mizzou athlete to have their likeness featured on a retail food product since the launch of former MU wide receiver Luther Burden III's potato chips in 2022. 

“I’m so excited for our fans to try my great-tasting 'Spicy Queso Hoops,'" Mitchell said in a statement. “Being able to walk into a store and find myself on a snack is something I never dreamed of."

NIL food products featuring Mizzou athletes also include coffee, cookies, ice cream and frozen pizza. Those are branded with multiple players, though, making Mitchell's solo billing a prominent position within the Tigers' NIL landscape.

"We knew we wanted to do something with Mizzou’s basketball program," said Ken Dubinsky, the president of Haystack Sourcing Solutions, which develops the NIL products. "With Mark coming in so highly touted, he was a great choice to be the next Tiger to have his own snack."

Mitchell, who hails from the Kansas City area, transferred to Missouri this season after spending the first two years of his collegiate career at Duke. He's averaging 13.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.