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Basketball hosted one of its most exciting nights, the NBA draft. Each year, prospects from around the world wait in anticipation, hoping their hard work on the collegiate level or in semi-professional leagues will earn them one of the most coveted spots in the world’s most revered basketball league. Year after year, new talent emerges, and the idea of who will be the NBA’s next big star enters sports chats. With all of the hype around this pivotal night, another focus is the deals and payouts draftees receive due to their newfound success. Young superstars of today benefit from rising costs due to inflation, the advancement of endorsement deals, and the ability to leverage highlight reels and salary caps to move the needle for their large rookie contracts. Photo Credit: Nic Antaya By comparison, some of the league’s best players in history commanded top-dollar salaries. For example, Ervin “Magic” Johnson signed an estimated $2.3 million contract over five years as part of his 1979...
Jun 24, 2022
Michael Jordan memorabilia is making its rounds.
Jun 21, 2022
Overtime Elite (OTE) — self-described as “the future of basketball” is turning teen hoopers into six-figure earners. According to The Gazette, the three-team Atlanta-based league is paying its young basketball players $100,000 and over, along with leading them to become NBA stars in the near future.
May 30, 2022
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of the most legendary basketball players in the sport’s recorded history. During his time on the court, he earned the MVP award a record number of six times. He also became an NBA All-Star a record number of nineteen times. So accomplished is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the court, in fact, that ESPN ranked him one of the “greatest giants” of the game back in 2007. Many basketball players today owe more than a slight debt of gratitude to the seven-foot, two-inch giant of the NBA. He was so accomplished on the court, in fact, that he was able to retire in 1989 at the age of 42. Born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. in Manhattan, Abdul-Jabbar worked his way up in the world of the NBA, until he ultimately amassed an impressive net worth of $20 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. And even now, long after his glory days have come and gone, Abdul-Jabbar is still a respected legend of the game. Today, however, he’s content with letting his five children — who are all grown...
Apr 14, 2022
Mich a el Jordan may have been out of the league for a while now, but his legacy will carry him on for decades to come! Each of the Jordan heirs is doing their part in making sure the Jordan legacy lives on, and, as a part of this continued effort, Marcus Jordan is elevating the retail experience with his Orlando, FL store, TROPHY ROOM. With a soft launch on March 26 , patrons were able to check out the upscale retail boutique that offers exclusive Jordan collaborations and partnerships with Nike and Upper Deck Authenticated. TROPHY ROOM offers a wide variety of footwear, apparel, and memorabilia to consumers.
Apr 4, 2022
When it comes to taking action in supporting women, Nike’s Jordan Brand has held a steady streak. History was made in June 2021 after Michael Jordan and his brand unveiled their “WNBA Family” campaign, which marked the most-ever WNBA players to endorse the brand at once, AfroTech previously reported. “The world needs female voices, and we can’t ignore that or else we’re not growing,” Jordan previously shared in a statement. “The Jordan Brand is committed to giving women a platform to amplify their voices, which influence, inspire and push culture forward. These amazing athletes are defining a lot of things about Jordan Brand and leading a true conversation that’s impacting culture and our communities across the globe.” The brand’s dedication to advancing women has yet to cease as right before Women’s History Month comes to a close, it has launched its inaugural global Women’s Collective, Hypebeast reports.
Mar 29, 2022
You may think that the Harlem Globetrotters are a “joke” team — a team that turns the sport of basketball into a Broadway show, with funny spins and clownish faces and a treat for young children who may be too small to experience the full fury of an NBA game. But you could not be more wrong. In fact, if players like LeBron James, the late Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan can command millions — and billions — of dollars in salaries and endorsements, it’s because the Harlem Globetrotters laid the groundwork to make it so. In 1926, basketball — like the rest of the United States — was segregated, and Black players were not allowed to join the NBA. From that terrible time in American history, though, came basketball teams like the Black Fives and what was then known as the Savoy Big Five. Born on the South Side of Chicago, Tommy Brookins — according to WTTW — led a series of players to walk off from the Savoy Big Five in the midst of a dispute in 1928. They then formed a team of their...
Mar 8, 2022
NBA legend J.R. Smith is ready for NIL deals. According to ESPN, Smith — a freshman golfer and retired NBA guard — has just signed with Excel Sports for NIL (name, image, likeness) representation. The news was announced by his agent, Lance Young. But what’s interesting is, this new deal is specifically for his burgeoning golf career. “Smith, 36, is beginning his second semester for the Aggies, and his emergence as perhaps the most well-known Division I golfer has inspired significant endorsement possibilities that could earn him well into the six figures under the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness legislation,” reports the outlet. The outlet also confirms that J.R. Smith made more than $90 million in his career in the NBA, and retired with titles with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2016) and the Los Angeles Lakers (2020) and earned a Sixth Man of the Year Award with the New York Knicks in 2013. But he’s hoping that his career in golf will serve as a bridge for more underrepresented...
Jan 28, 2022
Kevin Durant has been making business moves all year round, and his latest venture marks a new milestone. According to Adweek, Durant and his manager Rich Kleiman recently inked a two-year partnership with blockchain platform Dapper Labs’ NBA Top Shot. Their multimedia platform Boardroom will feature Dapper Labs’ NFT marketplace for NBA Top Shot — making Durant the first player to back NBA Top Shot. As previously reported by AfroTech, Boardroom — which relaunched in 2021 — is backed by Kevin Durant and Kleiman’s investment firm Thirty Five Ventures. The platform’s coverage for NBA Top Shot will include news and feature stories, giveaways, spotlights around key moments, fan-to-fan trading and behind-the-scenes video content, Adweek reports. “Through NBA Top Shot, Dapper Labs has proven that they can provide not just value but community with basketball fans, and they were able to build trust with fans very early on in the crypto space,” Durant said in a statement to Adweek. “Still,...
Oct 13, 2021
Technology continues to change the world of sports as we know it, and Reebok recognizes that. For years, access to sports facilities has not been the norm for children in underserved areas often pushing them to reinvent the wheel when it comes to playing some of their favorite games. Now, Reebok is equipping those same communities with the resources that they need to play big thanks to augmented reality (AR) technology tools. Courting Greatness is a FW21 basketball campaign that was launched by the company in late July that uses technology to provide a real-world environment of playable basketball spaces where they may not exist. Photo courtesy of Reebok “Technology is undeniably just part of the fabric of our culture now,” said Inga Stenta, Head of U.S. Marketing for Reebok in an exclusive interview with AfroTech. “As you see things continuing to evolve and move, it is becoming more and more connected to the sports space. What we are really trying to do in this situation is...
Aug 20, 2021
Charlotte Hornets NBA player LaMelo Ball is planning some major investments to give back to his local basketball community, starting with the youth. According to the Charlotte Observer, the 2021 Rookie of the Year player is making moves to start his own high school basketball team in the North Carolina town to help grow and expand the game for future young basketball players. The outlet shares that Ball is partnering with basketball facility Carolina Courts to launch the “1 of 1 Prep Academy” for any and all up-and-coming basketball players in the coming months, in addition to a travel team. As a brand ambassador for Puma, both of Ball’s teams will be sponsored by the athleisure brand. Ball’s investments by way of the upgraded practice facility will put these local student athletes in a position to have access to some of the best resources in the world. Ball’s academy solely focuses on the sport with no formal classes, so players that opt to sign up for his academy will have to give...
Aug 9, 2021
Former president Barack Obama has plans to take the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) presence in Africa to the next level. According to an announcement from the NBA, Obama is officially a minority owner and strategic partner in NBA Africa’s business, where he hopes to advance the league’s social responsibility efforts across the continent. “The NBA has always been a great ambassador for the United States—using the game to create deeper connections around the world, and in Africa, basketball has the power to promote opportunity, wellness, equality, and empowerment across the continent,” he shared in a statement. “By investing in communities, promoting gender equality, and cultivating the love of the game of basketball, I believe that NBA Africa can make a difference for so many of Africa’s young people. I’ve been impressed by the league’s commitment to Africa, including the leadership shown by so many African players who want to give back to their own countries and...
Jul 28, 2021
Triller is on a mission to add more sports content to its video network platform — starting with rapper Ice Cube and his Big3 basketball league. According to CNBC, Cube inked an agreement for a joint venture with the social media company in which Triller will host his league’s first all-star game, its draft, and also feature 30 hours of live games from its 2021 season. Though specifics around the deal have not been made available, the outlet reports that both Big3 and Triller will share advertising revenue earned from the upcoming events, arena signage, and cross-promote their brands together. “There’s nothing as fun and fast in sports as Big3 basketball, and once you watch one game, you’ll be hooked,” Triller co-owner Ryan Kavanaugh shared in a statement. “We are excited to partner with Ice Cube and the Big3 organization to bring this exciting and growing sport to Triller audiences around the world.” Ice Cube basked in the announcement of his Triller deal tweeting, “Big3 signs deal...
Jun 4, 2021
NBA legend Wilson Chandler has made history. In a press release announcement, it was revealed that the basketball superstar has entered into a one-of-a-kind partnership with CryptoKickers, a non-fungible token-based fashion brand designing “Footwear for the New World.” This partnership marks the first time in history that a sports star has entered into a “virtual kicks” partnership. “As we build out the leading footwear brand for the Metaverse, we wanted to find a star athlete with an innovative spirit and style — someone who actually cares about this stuff,” said CryptoKickers co-founder Thomas Dimson, in the press release announcement. On Wednesday, April 21 at 11:11 a.m. PST, the team will release 21 pairs of “Wilson Chandler 1s” on their website, with additional releases to follow. “As soon as I discovered CryptoKickers, it was a no-brainer to collaborate with them,” said Chandler, a 13-year NBA veteran. “I’ve been in the crypto space for some time and recently became obsessed...
Apr 21, 2021
After a lucrative collaboration with Nike, Fear of God is now entering a long-term partnership with adidas. According to WWD, Fear of God’s Jerry Lorenzo will work with the clothing giant in its global basketball division business and creative. In addition, the two brands will further develop Fear of God Athletics. “This is a role that is unprecedented in its very nature and nuanced attribution that it defies all titles and traditional definitions,” Lorenzo said. “Adidas and Fear of God share the same dream for the future of basketball, on and beyond the court, and we look forward to changing the face of the industry through a new model that will unfold before us in the coming years.” Fear of God and adidas strike this deal on the heels of major collaborations just this year, including Beyoncé’s Ivy Park. Though adidas has reported declining sales and is considering selling its Reebok division, this deal with Lorenzo’s Fear of God may certainly help further boost adidas’ e-commerce...
Dec 22, 2020