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With name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals knocking on the doors of various student-athletes across the nation, many are securing new business ventures. And, next up is Duke University forward Paolo Banchero. The college athlete has scored a NIL deal with Troika Media Inc. and Yahoo Sports. According to a press release, the collaboration was initiated to advance their Tourney Pick’em bracket game. Joining Banchero is a freshman by the name of Chet Holmgren from Gonzaga University, and both athletes will become co-ambassadors. In addition, Banchero and Holmgren will be featured throughout social and digital content campaigns across their personal social media channels. “Yahoo Sports is one of our most longstanding and important clients,” said Aaron Sapiro, Troika’s Senior Account Director for Sports, according to a press release. “From our first project together nearly five years ago, they’ve consistently tasked our collective team to challenge the status quo and push evolution. We...
For many companies, “social justice” and “diversity and inclusion” are buzzwords whose usage has only increased since 2020 and its various movements. For GOOD WORX founder Kirstyn Nimmo, however, it’s been a way of life since before it was cool to do so. “We specialize in social innovation consultancy,” she told AfroTech in an exclusive interview. “We engage with brands — either for the long-term, or the short-term — and we encourage them to use their influence to address some of society’s most pressing issues. Now, however, it’s taken on additional tones as well.” According to the company’s website, Nimmo’s work has been steadily increasing amongst corporate entities for more than ten years. She’s been recognized by the Obama administration for her past work, and even won a Shorty Award for her efforts as well. However, GOOD WORX — and Nimmo’s efforts — seem to be more salient in 2021, especially since many “big tech” companies like Google are facing their own watershed moments...
Nearly 200 million Yahoo users in the U.S. and Israel are expected to receive checks from the company now that a two-year legal battle has ended. Yahoo has agreed to a $50 million settlement after a 2016 data breach impacted its email accounts. The company has been providing AllClear credit monitoring services for all impacted users over the span of two years. When the cyber-attacks initially happened in 2013, Yahoo originally disclosed that 1 billion of its users were impacted by the breach. The company later announced 3 billion of their email users were affected. Oath, which now owns Yahoo, will pay half of the settlement along with holding company Altaba. Yahoo’s settlement shines a light on the potential future of data breach settlements. In July, Target reached an $18.5 million settlement for its 2013 hacks. Now, eyes are on Facebook for its most recent hacks and Cambridge Analytica scandal.
VJ Edgecombe, a 2025 NBA draft pick, isn’t taking his positioning for granted. Edgecombe was drafted on Wednesday to the Philadelphia 76ers during the first round as a third overall pick, according to CBS Sports. The moment was emotional for Edgecombe as he reflected on his upbringing. He was born and raised in Bimini, a small island in the Bahamas, according to WHYY. He told NBA reporter Taylor Rooks that his family struggled, lived without electricity for seven years, and had to rely on a generator. “See what she had to go through to feed us? It’s crazy… My mind [is] everywhere right now,” he told Rooks. Basketball is now his saving grace. Edgecombe moved to the U.S. in the ninth grade and completed his senior year of high school at Long Island Lutheran in Brookville, NY, per USA Today. In college, he played basketball at Baylor University and made a name for himself, averaging 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, Sports Spectrum reported. His talents...
Allen Media Group (AMG) CEO Byron Allen has long been a formidable presence in the entertainment industry, but his recent legal victory against McDonald’s has thrust him into the spotlight once again. Thanks to the settlement, Allen’s already considerable wealth is sure to reach new heights. The media mogul previously filed a discrimination lawsuit against McDonald’s for $10 billion. While the final numbers of the settlement aren’t public, they could be substantial. Given the stakes, the settlement is sure to increase Byron Allen’s net worth even more. For some people, this lawsuit may have been the first time they’ve heard of Byron Allen. If so, they’re likely wondering how he amassed enough wealth, influence, and capital to sue one of the most recognizable brands in the world. However, his journey from stand-up comedian to billionaire media mogul is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit and determination. Born in Detroit in 1961, Allen moved to Los Angeles at a young age and...
The Stephen Curry effect is something serious! The Golden State Warriors point guard, who is one of the best shooters in the league, is loved globally, but of course heavily by his own fanbase that resides in San Francisco, CA. Curry was drafted to the NBA in 2009 by the team, and he agreed to a four-year rookie contract valued at $12.7 million, notes Spotrac. Curry has shown a similar level of loyalty to that of the late Kobe Bryant, remaining a cornerstone of the very team that drafted him. He even led the team to four NBA championships between 2015 and 2022, with the most recent victory over the Boston Celtics. “We’ve got four championships. God is great, the ability to be on this stage and play with amazing teammates against a great Boston Celtics team that gave us everything to try to get to the finish line,” Curry said in a postgame interview in 2022, according to NBA Analysis. He also earned the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2022, which was a first in his career, notes...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Data centers have been in the news lately due to their connection to AI, but they have been around in some form or capacity for decades. Data centers originally were created to hold mainframe computers because they would tend to overheat, needing to be stored in climate-controlled rooms. This was at a time when more businesses began relying on computers for their day-to-day operations, and things needed to be moved from single rooms to larger dedicated facilities. What caused data centers to explode in popularity was the rise of personal computing. With more and more data needing to be stored, more facilities needed to be created in order to house all of this new data that was being generated every day, not just from businesses but from people living their lives as well due to the adoption of mobile devices. What exponentially increased the amount of data centers was when software started “eating...
Shelton Jackson “Spike” Lee has made an indelible mark on the landscape of American cinema. With groundbreaking films like “ Do the Right Thing” (1989), “ Malcolm X” (1992), and “ BlacKkKlansman” (2018), Lee has provoked thought and dialogue on pressing societal issues. His directorial prowess has earned him critical acclaim, including an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for “BlacKkKlansman” in 2019. So, with all his cinematic success, what is Spike Lee’s net worth in 2025? Let’s take a look at his achievements and the numbers that have made Lee one of the most recognizable movie makers in the industry. From Atlanta Roots to Brooklyn Living Born on March 20, 1957, in Atlanta, Georgia, Shelton Jackson Lee was the eldest child of Jacqueline Carroll, an arts and literature teacher, and William James Edwards Lee III, a jazz musician and composer, per TV Insider . During Lee’s early years, the family relocated to Brooklyn, New York, settling in the Fort Greene neighborhood. It...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. WNBA superstar Angel Reese and former NBA superstar Magic Johnson joined forces recently to create Wealth Playbook , a financial literacy program for high school students in Baltimore, MD. The program is a partnership between the Angel C. Reese Foundation, the Magic Johnson Foundation, and Pull Up Neighbor, an advertising firm focused on community outreach. Through the program, students will learn how to manage their money and build long-term wealth. The program is split between four sessions, with beginnings at Saint Frances Academy, Reese’s former high school in Baltimore. The first session was a lesson in budgeting, understanding credit, and basic money-management skills. There’s no denying that financial literacy classes are needed, but who really gets to benefit from them? Both Johnson and Reese have basketball in common, but they are also in a privileged position to have so many resources at...
Two-time NBA champion Rajon Rondo, 39, returned to the University of Kentucky (UK) this month, not for a game but for a graduation ceremony. The former All-Star point guard officially earned his bachelor’s degree in communications during the university’s May 2025 commencement ceremony at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY, as Yahoo Sports reports. The moment marked a full-circle achievement 20 years after Rondo first enrolled at UK as a standout freshman in 2004, the outlet states. After two seasons with the Kentucky Wildcats, Rondo declared for the 2006 NBA Draft, where he was selected 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns and later traded to the Boston Celtics, per Yahoo Sports. What followed was a decorated 16-season NBA career with several teams, including an NBA championship in 2008 with the Celtics and another with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. Rondo last played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2022. He officially retired from the NBA in April 2024 with a net worth of over $45 million, as...
Cybersecurity remains one of the most important — and unpredictable — topics shaping today’s technology landscape. At AFROTECH™ 2024, Nicole Dove, director of security engineering at Riot Games, led a session on how bad actors use artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance cyberattacks and how defenders are evolving to stay ahead. Moderated by Dr. Christine Izuakor, founder and CEO of Cyber Pop-up, the session also included Oluwadamilola Obamehinti, who has over a decade of experience at major tech companies including eBay. During the session, Dove and Obamehinti were presented with high-stakes real-world scenarios to respond to live. “We’ve all heard a lot of the nightmare stories over the last year, especially when it comes to security,” Izuakor said. “Everything from unprecedented amounts of data being leaked to social media hacks to a global IT outage — and it’s important as leaders for us to be able to respond in ways that are efficient, to remain calm, to think critically while...
As data remains the backbone of digital advertising and regulatory scrutiny continues to grow, technologists are uniquely positioned to influence the industry’s future. At AFROTECH™ 2024 , Juliette Stancil, senior assistant general counsel of data privacy at Intuit Inc. — the parent company of TurboTax, QuickBooks, Mailchimp, and Credit Karma — led a workshop tackling the intersection of digital advertising and data privacy. Stancil unpacked current challenges, evolving platform rules, and privacy-first innovations — equipping attendees with the insights needed to navigate and influence a rapidly shifting landscape. “I would encourage anyone to really read through privacy settings and the privacy policy of any of the places you tend to visit or where you ingest content,” Stancil shared early in the session. “And you might be surprised at the number of capabilities you have to set permissions around what gets collected and what gets used, particularly for marketing and advertising...
Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), once known primarily for powering video games, have evolved into the backbone of today’s most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems. At AFROTECH™ 2024 , Seyi (Shay) Ogebule, Ph.D., product lead at Intel and a seasoned expert in IoT and tech manufacturing, took the Cybersecurity Stage to share how GPUs are revolutionizing edge AI. “What powers AI? How does AI work? What’s behind the scenes?” Dr. Ogebule asked the audience. “So, I spent a lot of my career and my work over a decade-plus behind the scenes trying to create those specialized chips so that you can enjoy the benefits of AI.” Purchase your ticket to AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 now! During the panel, viewers learned about the latest breakthroughs in GPU technology, which is used to process massive volumes of data, and how such advancements are making general computing and AI more efficient, accessible, and impactful. As Ogebule explained, the growing demand for real-time, intelligent...
Antoine Walker, a 2006 NBA champion, wants athletes to learn from his financial mishaps. At 19 years old, he was drafted into the NBA in 1996 by the Boston Celtics and remained in the league for 13 years. Yahoo Finance reports his career earnings amounted to $108 million, including a six-year contract worth $71 million that he signed at age 21. While making all this money early on is an accomplishment, it also came with harsh learning lessons for Walker. “The money came so fast without the education,” he told host Ross Mac on the “Financial Freestyle” podcast. Walker’s first paycheck was tied to a $1.6 million payday, but after taxes, his actual earnings ended up being $800,000, he says. He came from “very humble beginnings” and had little understanding of financial literacy, particularly about taxes. This lack of knowledge, combined with excessive spending and real estate investments that went south during the Great Recession, contributed to his filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in...
UnitedHealth Group, a longtime healthcare powerhouse, just took a brutal hit, missing earnings expectations and slashing its 2025 outlook. The company’s stock dropped rapidly Thursday morning, April 17, and it wasn’t just a blip — this was a full-on market reaction to what many are now calling a crisis moment. At the center of it all? A shaky Medicare business, a leadership shakeup, and the long shadow of a massive cyberattack. For years, UnitedHealth was considered untouchable on Wall Street. But now, the once-steady giant is showing signs of severe strain. Medicare Misfire Rattles Confidence In The Insurance Giant Investors didn’t just flinch — they ran. According to The Wall Street Journal, UnitedHealth stock tumbled about 18% in early trading, pulling other major healthcare players like Humana and CVS Health down. What happened? The company’s Medicare Advantage division, which manages benefits for older and disabled Americans, faces deeper issues than previously disclosed....