Nearly two decades later, Chris Webber is still making the right shots.
The former NBA player is diving headfirst into the Non-Fungible Token (NFT) space, taking a seat at the table as president of Coinllectibles.
Webber’s introduction to the technology company began after a conversation centering around The Chris Webber Collection of African-American Artifacts and Documents, which includes a postcard Malcolm X sent to Alex Haley when he was in Mecca and the first poetry book written by an African author. Now Webber will continue developing more groundbreaking collections — this time by disrupting the NFT space.
“The business has allowed me to stay competitive, empower people, and learn. What attracted me to Coinllectibles was the opportunity to work with arguably one of the best when it comes to NFTs, especially cryptocurrency, but also the fact that I can merge sports,” Webber told AfroTech exclusively.
According to a press release, Webber’s role will bridge the crossroads of technology, artwork, and memorabilia by strategically launching sports and entertainment offerings through Coinllectibles’s Digital Ownership Token (DOT) technology and the metaverse. For Webber, the role will allow him to create a new experience for sports fans through his expertise, fusing the sports landscape with the digital arena.
“I want to bridge the physical sports world with digital sports wellness,” Webber continued. “Having a lot of experience with engagements, memorabilia, the sporting worlds, and interactions with fans, this was the perfect partnership because I’m working with such great experts in the tech space. I can bring my expertise with the wonderful infrastructure of some wonderful partners that know what they were doing.”
Name, Image, Likeness Deals On The Way
In the era of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, we continue to see many college athletes blazing a path toward financial freedom — a well-deserved victory that did not exist during Webber’s reign. Understanding the power of opportunity, Coinllectibles will empower athletes from high school, college, and even retired players through NIL deals to strengthen their involvement in the NFT space.
“As mentioned before, I wasn’t able to take advantage of this space. So, think about all the athletes we’re gonna touch from those NIL deals. I think about our favorite players, Kareem, Dr. J, and ‘Mean’ Joe Greene. I want to be a galvanizer in this — not just for guys in the NIL but for guys that also did not get a chance to take advantage of NILs that paved the way for me. It will be a way to try and be profitable in business, but also give back through that profitability,” Webber said.
In addition, Coinllectibles will offer internships and jobs to leaders from underserved communities starting with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
“We will be reaching out to HBCUs because we need the best of the best there as well as they do other great schools. We will have internship programs, tech partnerships, and we are always into job training and job placement. I hope the ecosystem we have in the other business that we just included here, we will be able to get the best people and it takes diversity so we definitely wanna make sure that we give that access,” Webber said.
Chris Webber To Kick Off Partnership With Debut NFT Collection
Setting the tone, Webber is set to release a personal NFT collection through Coinllectibles. The drop will influence how fans interact with their favorite athletes, entertainers, and collectibles. Fans can expect Webber to pay homage to his time at the University of Michigan and more.
“We have wonderful things coming up, especially for those that love sporting events and love to participate in sporting events,” Webber told AfroTech. “We really plan to separate the engagement that each athlete personally gives the fans, because even though I’ve played 15 years in the NBA, I’m a fan first.”
