Amar’e Stoudemire has always done things his own way. The former NBA standout was one of a rare set of stars who made the successful leap directly from high school to the league. Despite having not stepped on a court until he was 14, Stoudemire demonstrated a natural skill that propelled him to being named Florida’s Mr. Basketball by the time he collected his high school diploma.

As he leveled up, he stayed on top, earning Rookie of the Year honors while discovering early in his career how to navigate the league. He turned to the veterans around him to seek advice on how to excel in all aspects of the game.

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Now, three years into his basketball retirement, Stoudemire sits back to reflect with Eddie Gonzalez for the most recent episode of Boardroom Talks. Together, they have a candid conversation to discuss his recent honor by the Phoenix Suns, who raised his number to the rafters, his deep relationship with Steve Nash, and his hopes for a future selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Additionally, he discusses his iconic parties and how they helped inspire his most recent entrepreneurial endeavor, Stoudemire Wines.

Be sure to check out the entire episode — and more original content — over at Boardroom’s YouTube page.

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The post Boardroom Talks: Amar’e Stoudemire Always Understood the Game appeared first on Boardroom.

As 15 runners took one final stretch before embarking on a grueling 20-minute tread class inside Peloton‘s Hudson Yards studios on a rainy Thursday morning, superstar instructor Jess Sims shouted the mantra she gives to each of her classes, one that’s deeply meaningful to her.

“We all got stresses, worries, concerns, anxieties, judgments, expectations, pressures, comparisons, projections, grief, and miscellaneous toxicity,” she told the group, those tuning in live around the world, and many thousands more members who will eventually take this class from memory, “and through it all, I can take care of myself and put that to the side for the next 20 minutes.”

This particular day’s workout was part of a collaboration series with the NBA called “3rd Quarter” and featured special guest Brooklyn Net Mikal Bridges. The warmup mantra, the 35-year-old told Boardroom following the class, is for everyone’s mental state as well as their bodies. The mantra grew over time, with Sims adding grief following the loss of her beloved father in December. Since it’s inclusion, several members have reached out to her telling her they’ve experienced loss before and that they were happy she was talking about what she’s gone through. Sims’ willingness to unveil her own struggles and triumphs is what’s made her so popular among the global fitness community.

“As a Peloton member, I was really excited to have the opportunity to join the incredible Jess Sims once again for class at Peloton Studios New York,” Bridges said after running and chatting with Sims while a curated playlist featuring Kendrick Lamar, Gucci Mane, DJ Khaled, and Lil’ Wayne blared. “It was so cool to connect with her over our mutual love for basketball, music, and the power of a great workout.”

It’s this relatability and her upbeat, personable nature that’s helped the Massachusetts native as she’s pivoted from a school principal job to a celebrity instructor with a social following of more than 500,000 followers. But that’s only the beginning, in her off-hours, Sims has catapulted to become a prominent member of ESPN‘s legendary College GameDay college football show, a Good Morning America contributor, and the New York Liberty‘s in-arena host.

She caught up with Boardroom about how she gets it all done, what drives her, and how she’s manifested a life that she never knew to dream of.

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After two years leading fitness classes at boutique New York City studios, she joined Peloton in September 2018. It completely changed her life, she said, finding a place she felt she could call home for a long time while embracing a global team that helped her through the dark, lonely days of the pandemic.

During the pandemic, Sims said, the instructors were all dying to get back into work because that’s where they most felt themselves.

“We felt energized and connected in a world that felt so isolating,” she added.

Sims lived near the studio at the time, and as she was walking her dogs on one dreary day, there was a couple working out in a nearby park. Noticing their phone was laid out, she walked in their direction “and all of a sudden I heard my voice!” she said. “So I had this crazy goosebumps moment of ‘here I am sad and feeling alone,’ but these two people are working out and taking care of themselves together to my workout. And that’s all Peloton. Look at the power of that.”

Sims described herself as a lifelong underdog, a behind-the-scenes type of person who was never the leading scorer on her basketball teams growing up, but a scrappy role player who would dive on the floor for loose balls, grabbing rebounds, and doing the dirty work to help her teams succeed. Starting at Peloton pushed her headlong into the spotlight, teaching classes to a global audience with cameras on her five day a week. While she struggled with this at first, Robin Arzón, Peloton’s head of fitness, said that Sims was standing in her spotlight to show others they can do the same and thrive as well.

“I always get butterflies. I always get nervous.” Sims said before teaching a big class or conducting a high profile interview. “And then I just always come back to knowing that people don’t come to me for perfection. They come to me because they see themselves in me. They see imperfections, and they can have this sense of relief. I don’t need to be perfect. They come for improvement and inspiration.”

When Sims looks back on her career as an educator, everything seemed so clear. She had ambitions to become a school superintendent and to help shape education law reform. But since she began pursuing her passion in fitness, Sims embarked on what she called a “no plan plan,” which consists of doing what feels good and right for her.

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With an openness to whatever came her way, all kinds of doors have opened for her.

In 2021, talking about basketball all the time during her classes caught the attention of the Liberty CEO and members of the organization, who believed she’d be a great host. Sims then signed on with a sports agency, which suggested she get in front of executives at ESPN to see if she’d be a fit there. Having found a stable home at Peloton, she felt no pressure as these opportunities materialized, believing that if there was a fit, it was meant to be.

The ESPN meeting came two days after the 2022 Boston Marathon, Sims’ first — and prbably the most meaningful Monday of her life. That day, Sims showed up for one of her fierce followers. The woman had nearly lost her legs while cheering at the finish line in the blasts of 2013. As part of her rehab, the woman took Sims’ class and reached out to ask Sims if she’d run the marathon in her honor.

Coming off this runner’s high, Sims felt on top of the world and decided she’d go into this meeting and just be herself. Authenticity has given her a lot of success, but doing so takes time and isn’t a quick fix. Six months later, Sims was a permanent member of the College GameDay crew. The move sparked a subsequent array of steps. She joined GMA last April and expanded her role on ESPN as a college basketball sideline reporter in December.

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In September 2022, Sims joined Jordan Brand as an ambassador, presenting herself as a professional athlete with no offseason who can amplify women in sports and educate the masses on the connection between mind and body.

While she compares her hustle to Serena Williams, Steph Curry, and Sydney Leroux, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are Sims’ two favorite players of all time. So Jordan Brand was always one of her dream partnerships, along with Dr. Martens and Jeep. Sims is hopeful that not only will the Jumpman come out with a running shoe one day, she’ll get her own signature shoe as well.

Asked what she’d say to people looking to follow in her footsteps, Sims provided two pieces of advice. First, be yourself. The people who stick with you over the long haul will do so because of how you’ve developed your own authenticity and forged your own path over time toward sustained success.

Secondly, don’t force things.

“We grow up and we’re constantly told to ‘try harder. Try this. Try that,” Sims said. “I’ve learned that if you have to try too hard, you’re probably forcing something. So ever since I turned 30, I say that from when you’re born to 30, you learn a bunch of stuff, and then from 30 until the day you die, you unlearn all of those things. One of those things that you need to unlearn is don’t try to force things. Try to get into a flow state, something that feels good for you and then feels good for the people around you. And go with that.”

Because of her “no plan plan,” Sims isn’t sure how she envisions her career going from here on out. As long as it makes sense and she sticks to her north stars of making people laugh, inspiring people, and making an impact, that will guide her path forward. Peloton, her dream job, has been the springboard of everything she’s accomplished over the last five-and-a-half years and will remain her home base for the foreseeable future.

Plus, Sims hates the word goals. She said, preferring to set targets for herself.

“If I stuck with my goals,” she continued, “I wouldn’t be here at Peloton. When I talk about or think about goals, it’s like you have blinders on and you just see that one goal. And when you do that, you tend to not veer off the beaten path. You don’t enjoy the process because you’re fixated on the outcome.”

Sims wants to continue taking care of herself so she can the best at what she’s doing that day, regardless of platform. She’s here to enjoy every single day, getting the most out of her second life inspiring others and basking and thriving in the spotlight.

“Sometimes,” Sims said, “the most beautiful things are off path.”

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The post The Rise and Run of Jess Sims appeared first on Boardroom.

Remember when Chris Paul began using fashion as a platform to celebrate HBCUs when he famously wore a varsity jacket with all 107 crests and emblems from each historically Black college and university? Or when Dwyane Wade debuted a crisp white Louis Vuitton ensemble with a sash at the 2019 ESPY Awards?

In these two examples, Courtney Mays was styling Paul, while Calyann Barnett was tasked with getting Wade red-carpet ready. On the court, athletes are relegated to matching uniforms, often only leveraging their sneakers as a form of self-expression. Entering the arena pre-game or during an off-court public appearance is when fans are treated to a player’s style, and it’s true when they say it takes a village.

A wardrobe consultant is more than someone assigned to be an athlete’s personal shopper. They’re tasked with developing a part of a player’s identity, curating an authentic aesthetic that mirrors each client’s personality. Even 20 years ago, the idea of an athlete having a stylist on retainer was unheard of. However, these days, those aforementioned looks and more are carefully curated by veterans of style, and they all happen to be Black women.

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Barnett’s career started in music, but she credits DWade as being her first client in the athlete space. The two met at a Louis Vuitton party for Kanye West‘s 30th birthday in 2007, and Wade was coming off winning the NBA Finals in 2006.

“I went up to him and said, ‘You need a stylist,'” Barnett told Boardroom. “I explained to him that he’s a superstar and should look like a superstar and shouldn’t look like an athlete because he is bigger than an athlete.”

The late Kobe Bryant‘s stylist, Paige Geran, began working with the Los Angeles Lakers legend around the time Bryant won his final NBA title in 2010 and, before then, got her start in television. However, her small screen work would take a backseat in 2007-08 due to the writer’s strike. To expand her portfolio and reach, she pivoted full-time to athletes. Due to her lengthy resume in entertainment, Geran was the OG of West Coast stylists. She had briefly worked with athletes in commercials, which led to making connections quickly within the space and subsequently becoming the blueprint.

Before she arrived, Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, was the mastermind behind his outfits. Kobe and Geran were connected via a trusted friend.

“He was trying to figure out ways to incorporate using a stylist for games,” Geran explained. “I don’t think he knew what it all entailed, but he was like, ‘I think I need someone. I need help.’

Ironically, the first thing Bryant’s team called Geran to enlist her help for had nothing to do with dressing him. Around the time Bryant changed his number from 8 to 24, Lil Wayne happened to be performing in LA. Bryant wanted Wayne to be the first person to wear his new jersey, Geran said.

“So I remember his team contacting me saying, ‘Hey, can you help us with this?’ It started with small things here and there, and then eventually, Kobe did a cover and had a big launch to celebrate, and that’s when he finally decided he wanted to branch out and hire a stylist,” she recalled.

Developing a Personal Aesthetic

Fashion and sports have always been synonymous, but thanks to these stylists, we’ve seen a cultural renaissance through the years. These women are an unsung heroes, as these athletes transition into bona fide icons. While their personal aesthetics might contribute to the final look, it’s ultimately reflective of the client’s taste.

Take, for example, Jimmy Butler. Khalilah Beaver met him at a Jordan shoot in 2016 and simply told him, “You need help.” What followed was years of taking the Miami Heat star from fun to watch on the court to a must-attend at fashion shows.

Beaver recalls the first time people looked at Butler as more of a trendsetter was the 2017 NBA All-Star Weekend. It was their first year working together, and she put Butler in a multicolored button-down shirt with a large King of Spades card on the front. It was daring, but it proved to be a success because, according to Beaver, “Everybody loved it.”

For Mays, whom DeAndre Jordan trusts with dressing him, she likens her client’s aesthetic to the late Jimi Hendrix, whose influence on pop culture is still prevalent to this day nearly 53 years after his passing. Mays cultivates Jordan’s wardrobe based on the type of music he listens to and the art in his home. Jordan’s wedding suit, which Courtney expertly selected, bears some resemblance to hippie couture.

Mays also produced the ensemble Kevin Love wore to his 2022 wedding. Unlike Jordan, Mays describes Love’s style as more All-American.

“My goal is to always bring out the best in each client and not put my imprint. Other than that, I’m trying to elevate or make [them look] better. I don’t want anyone to look like me necessarily,” she said to Boardroom.

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Nchimunya Wulf, Kevin Durant‘s personal stylist, started her agency in 2013 and has since expanded her empire through the DesigNCHIMUNYA Interior Design firm. She says her partnership with Durant functions as a collaboration in which he takes the lead, and her job is to make life simple.

“I add my signature touch, and he usually remixes to his liking at the moment! He’s more freestyle and doesn’t feel the impulse to coordinate as much, which I love and works so well for him,” Wulf told Boardroom. “He’s very creative and brilliant, which makes my job so buoyant and boundless.”

When James Harden won the NBA MVP in 2018, he accepted the trophy wearing a Neil Barrett patterned overcoat with matching trousers, a statement pendant, and some shiny lace-ups. His stylist Kesha McLeod explained that the look came together in Milan weeks prior, and she developed an entire itinerary based on the occasion.

McLeod, who also stacks Myles Turner, PJ Tucker, and Serena Williams as clients, first got the chance to work with athletes when Serge Ibaka recruited her for a Paris trip. After attending numerous shows, the pair ultimately decided on a casual pinstripe button-down with a matching bomber jacket and all-black pants. Appropriate enough for a children’s ceremony, chic enough to be remembered a decade later.

“To bring an athlete to Paris and pull a look off the runway and then have him wear it on a red carpet, that’s like Hollywood shit, absolutely what red carpet stylists do,” McLeod joked. “Serge is like 6-11, he’s huge. So, to pull a sample-size outfit for an athlete off the runway was something unheard of before. At that moment, it clicked, and I thought, ‘I’m just going to turn athletes into the new actors and actresses.'”

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Assembling a capsule could best be described as hours of shopping for the perfect fit that encapsulates an athlete’s personality. However, it’s more complex than that.

Barnett interprets her role as building the person’s style from the ground up, ultimately pushing him out of his comfort zone and building something cohesive for all moments of said athlete’s life.

“Sometimes you see a person who looks the same across the board like Steve Jobs. That’s cool, too, but we’re playing Barbie and having a little bit of fun. You don’t want someone to look the same all the time,” Barnett said. “I think women sometimes do a better job dressing men because men tend to dress men how they dress. So when you see a lot of men’s stylists, they look the same, and their clients look the same. I also try to avoid trends. I think I’ve done a good job at making sure my clients never wear the same thing and don’t get caught in the who wore it better situation.”

Suits are the go-to uniform for men in most semi-formal settings. So, imagine Geran’s surprise when Bryant shared that he wasn’t a fan of suits. Rather, the five-time champion felt more comfortable in custom leather jackets, denim, and sneakers, pieces that were just an extension of himself.

“You see him in the latter part of his career wearing suits. But it was by default because people couldn’t mess that up,” she explained.

“Kobe was a person that didn’t enjoy fittings at all,” Geran continued. “So I had to master the art of measuring things. A lot of the stuff I gave him — which is not traditional — he wouldn’t know what he was wearing until game day. He liked to feel good, but he did not spend time on the details of his clothes. That was my job. He was very much focused on his game. That was his job. My job was to make sure he was good with taking up a minimum amount of his time.”

Misconceptions, Challenges, Rewards

From sitting front row at Fashion Week to having access to the season’s hottest pieces before anyone else, being a stylist certainly has its perks. But there are misconceptions in any career, and the ladies would be remiss if they weren’t candid about valid fallacies.

“I think people generally believe celebrities receive boxes and boxes of free products,” said Mays. “When I have a new client, remind them that that’s not always the case. It’s sort of like a 50/50 situation and sometimes 80/20 situation where you’re purchasing a lot of it and developing yourself as a style influencer. You have to get the eyes on yourself as somebody who influences style and culture before people send you boxes of product”

Beaver echoed those sentiments, adding that contrary to popular belief, nothing about her role is easy or glamorous.

“There’s a lot of schlepping,” she added. “There’s a lot of back-and-forth calls and work that goes into pulling a look together. And when you look at the scope of things as far as your team is concerned, we are the ones who do the most work. It can be glamorous when you get to a certain level and have the budget to get things done in a certain way. But until you get to that point, no.”

There’s also the tricky scenario where overseas fashion houses don’t recognize who the stateside superstars of the NBA are. In 2011 during Milan Fashion Week, Barnett said she had to write an 11-page essay to justify Wade’s invitation to sit front row during the presentation. The first show he ever attended was Versace with McLeod’s client, Carmelo Anthony, and they were the only two athletes at the show.

“I was working with the designer and the PR teams to get Dwyane front row because they weren’t checking for them. Being an athlete didn’t necessarily have the best reputation,” Barnett explained. “It was a lot of, ‘I understand what you guys think of athletes, but this is who you want.’ And now they go after them. Whereas before, we were chasing the brands.”

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For McLeod, it’s about performing under pressure or adjusting when things go awry. Or trusting that the outfit you’ve been carrying from Harlem to the airport that has to board a plane within the hour arrives unscathed and in one piece. However, the most exhilarating part of the process is watching your creation admired by others.

“I’ve traveled to Paris with Serena at least nine times in my career, but this time, it was different because she trusted me to build a trip from the ground up. All she said was, ‘I want to go to Paris, figure it out.’ So, to take someone to that level, build relationships, and introduce your client to new things, it’s a different kind of high and excitement.”

However, the business doesn’t come without its fair share of grievances, which is all too common in a male-dominated industry.

“As women, we can’t go to the club with players,” Geran explained. “We have to look a certain way and be professional at all times. Some major challenges are getting the sports agents, the marketing people, and the PR people in sync with the players. If they were more cooperative, it would help women stylists in sports grow even further in their careers.

“No disrespect to the men, but it’s because of women that a lot of things in this industry get done. Win, lose, or regardless of how that player performed, we have to have those difficult conversations with them because men don’t want to be on the receiving end of bitterness.”

What’s Next?

They’ve dressed basketball’s best, had their looks grace magazine covers, and achieved many more milestones along the way. So, it begs the question: Where do these A-list stylists go from here?

For Barnett, she’s already taken on her next challenge as Creative Director for the Utah Jazz‘s private apparel brand CounterPoint. After 13 years and appareling a slew of athletes (Wade, Chandler Parsons, Nate Robinson), she wants to capitalize on everything learned working one-on-one with athletes to a team.

“There’s more I can make pretty,” she said. “Ultimately, what we do as stylists is make things beautiful.”

Meanwhile, McLeod has been an advocate for her clients for so long that she wants to focus on herself as a brand while simultaneously working alongside her A-list roster.

“Who I am and who I’ve worked with helps because now I’m taking on bigger roles as a fashion and creative director. The goal is always working toward bigger and better moments,” McLeod said.

Geran’s next venture includes tapping into her creativity within the artificial intelligence space.

“AI will dramatically change the future of television and film, but not necessarily when it comes to personal styling. I’d like to embark upon more opportunities connected with that in fashion and now I’m figuring out how the two are connected.”

Finally, for Mays, she’s focused on broadening her range as an entrepreneur and figuring out her identity as a brand.

“I’ve spent the past couple of decades being defined by Chris Paul or Kevin Love, and that’s beautiful and has taken me far and I’m grateful to those people. They’re basically my family at this point. But now, I’m figuring out who Courtney is and what she loves, and if there is something that has Courtney’s name behind it without a picture of somebody else,” Mays said.

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This past October, as the increasingly honest and blunt Milwaukee Bucks centerpiece has done over and over again during media sessions, Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered an on-the-fly, all-time, hilarious one-liner.

“Money is not important,” he paused. “A lot of fucking money is important.” 

He had a Bucks contract extension decision looming, and it was to his advantage to actually wait until after this current season to extend, when he’d be eligible to sign a new four-year deal for $234 million.

The Twitter chatter challenged his charming humbleness and modest upbringing, with people pushing narratives that the star power and global audience had changed him — that it was now about the money as he entered his 11th season. 

It couldn’t have been further from the truth. 

(Just weeks after the Damian Lillard trade, Giannis eventually signed a new three-year, $169 million extension on the Oct. 23 deadline, that could escalate to $186 million, the extra guaranteed year he had wanted be damned.) 

Although it was said jokingly, there’s a deeper layer behind that Giannis quote.

As Antetokounmpo’s budding business empire has shown in recent years, a lot of fucking money is important because of the platforms, the programs, and the infrastructure that it’s allowing the entire Antetokounmpo family to build. 

Not just for themselves now, but for generations of Antetokounmpos to come. Just as importantly, for the community of Milwaukee, the people back home in Greece and Nigeria, and an audience around the world. 

Over the last decade, Giannis has empowered a team around him to begin building out an array of pillars that represent his different focuses, both in athletics and away from the game. The culmination of that groundwork led to the formation in June 2023 of Ante, Inc., the parent company for which Giannis serves as Chairman and Co-Founder. Ante, Inc. operates the business interests and efforts of him and his brothers Thanasis, Kostas, Francis, and Alex. 

“My family is building a business that we can be proud of,” beamed the Bucks star. 

The business of Giannis is booming and still growing. With those pillars now entailing a new media company, a growing global sneaker empire, over a dozen endorsements and investments, a web of sports franchise ownership stakes, and a charity foundation, Boardroom sits down with Giannis to get an inside look at how Antetokounmpo is building out a legacy for his family name.

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The Media Company 

In January, Giannis officially announced his newest venture with the formation and launch of Improbable Media. The new production company, co-founded with ESPN broadcaster Jay Williams, already boasts a host of documentaries, TV commercials, and other uplifting content in the works.

“Building the company was great and is something that, in my world, helps my life become easier,” he said. “I would love to produce a lot of things that I’m passionate and interested about, that people would love to watch.”

The company named former Fusion Media Network and Red Bull executive Jonathan Stern as its CEO. It also added the Milwaukee Bucks Director of Content Nick Monroe as its Head of Features, who has photographed, filmed and traveled extensively with Antetokounmpo over the years.

Improbable’s debut feature production is a full-length documentary on Giannis himself, dubbed The Marvelous Journey and available to watch on Amazon‘s Prime Video. He specifies that it’s been two years in the making. The film features his mother’s first extensive solo interview and provides more access to his life away from the court than ever before.

“I wanted to be myself, and I wanted people to see me not just as a basketball player,” he said. “For example, I never talk about or show my kids, and this will probably be the first time that you’ll see that.” 

In addition to his own documentary, the company produced UGO: A Homecoming Story, a 31-minute long feature in partnership with WhatsApp following Antetokounmpo on his first visit to his family’s homeland of Nigeria.

Improbable Media is currently working on another feature-length film to share the true life story of Efe Obada, a Nigerian-born NFL player who overcame human trafficking and homelessness at the age of 10 when he and his sister moved to London. The production company is also working to co-produce content for companies like Breitling and Nike, with whom Antetokounmpo has long-term partnerships. 

With Marvelous Journey serving as the premiere piece of content from the new venture, Antetokounmpo is already seeing firsthand how shaping stories with his Improbable Media team has been able to cut through in the space. 

“In my industry, a lot of people always talk about what I had to go through and who I am as a person,” he described. “There are a lot of narratives that people create. But this is no narrative. This is me talking about the stuff we had to go through and the real journey. … Things that we had to go through in order to get here. It shows a different side of me.”

The Endorsements & Investments 

For every generational talent in the NBA, there’s a litany of lucrative offers constantly from companies looking to partner with a player of Giannis’ stature. 

“A lot of endorsement deals come to my table, and I try to pick things that align with my brand,” Antetokounmpo says matter-of-factly of his approach. 

His “brand” has proven to be one of the more unique across the league. His family connection and pride for his loved ones are undeniably a hallmark of both his public image and his daily persona, a trait and storyline that’s shown to connect with audiences from around the globe. 

He’s also long accepted and embraced his constant goofiness, sharing near-daily dad jokes in interviews and constantly coming across as one of the league’s more natural comedians for his audience of a combined 25 million followers across Instagram, X, and TikTok on social media. 

Coupled with his underdog rise from an unknown prospect upon entering the league to a now two-time MVP and NBA champion, Antetokounmpo’s aspirational story is the ascension to greatness that brands are constantly looking to celebrate in marketing campaigns.

All of that has led to Giannis holding one of the NBA’s most expansive endorsement portfolios. 

Antetokounmpo’s collective of corporate sponsors and partners, which he has secured through his years of being represented by his agent, Alex Saratsis, features an array of global companies, including Nike, WhatsApp, Google Pixel, Degree, JBL, 2K Sports, Kronos Foods, T-Mobile, TCL, digital health insurance company Antidote, and Greece’s Aegean Airlines. 

Just before NBA All-Star Weekend, the All-Star Game’s leading vote-getter added yet another endorsement deal to his stable, becoming the new face of lemon-lime soda Starry, the official soft drink of the NBA. 

“I feel like I could be funny and joke around, the same way that Starry jokes around,” said Antetokounmpo of the fit. “The 30-second clip is fun, and it shows the fun side of me out there. It promotes the product in a great light, and I was happy with it.”

Under the Ante, Inc. parent company, Giannis and his family also boast a growing investment stable that now features equity in companies including Flexpower Health, Candy Funhouse, and Ready Nutrition. They also acquired a 10% stake in Hellenic Wineries, which oversees Boutari Wineries, a 100-year-old Greek legacy winery that produces both wine and natural mineral water. 

At the start of this season, the Antetokounmpo family also launched their own AntetokounBros Shop, just adjacent to Milwaukee’s new Trade Hotel, which sits across the street from the Bucks’ home at Fiserv Forum and the city’s “Deer District.” Another AntetokounBros Shop is located within the Athens Airport, with each store featuring casual and athletic apparel celebrating the brothers of the Antetokounmpo family. 

Along with the emerging business portfolio, in 2022, the collective launched the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation in honor of their late father, who passed away after a heart attack in 2017. The “global social impact foundation” has already launched several initiatives in categories including education and health. The foundation is also specifically providing resources and financial support for refugees and immigrants to help improve their living conditions, as well as widows and families facing the loss of a loved one.

Each of the efforts aligns with the Antetokounmpo family’s experiences and hardships as they established themselves in Greece and, more recently, faced the loss of Charles.

Another key pillar of the foundation’s mission is athletics, and with the launch of the AntetokounBros Academy, in partnership with Nike and the EuroHoops organization, Giannis and Co. aim to provide access to sports for youths in Milwaukee, Greece, and Africa. 

The Shoe Deal 

Within the signature shoe business, there’s been a pricing and positioning trend in just the last decade, which Nike has been ramping up to aggressively grow the business of its handful of featured athletes. 

Several of their signature athletes actually have two signature shoes each season — their main annual “numbered” model and a “takedown” model that is priced considerably lower with a different distribution strategy. Several other brands have also utilized the strategy in recent years.

Antetokounmpo is now on the fifth model of his Zoom Freak series, priced at $140, and the third model of his Immortality sneaker, priced at $90. Since launching his own signature series with Nike in 2019, he’s been steadily building a top-five-grossing signature basketball shoe business among active NBA players, that now towers north of nine figures, thanks largely in part to his dual-model approach.

“I’m happy that my relationship with Nike has been incredible,” said Antetokounmpo. “They allow me to showcase my personality and I think our product is really, really good — one of the best in the league.”

The Immortality shoe has become the best-selling sub-$100 basketball sneaker, with Nike’s first European signature athlete driving serious volume internationally and across a batch of sporting goods retailers nationwide in the US. More than 40 players have worn an Immortality shoe in the NBA this season, with the model also worn all across the EuroLeague.

“I love it,” he adds. “And I know that a lot of people around the world love it too.”

This past summer, entirely behind the scenes, Antetokounmpo was actually faced with yet another large looming contract decision — his Nike deal was set to expire in the fall of 2024.

Because of the standard 14-18-month product planning calendar that the footwear industry operates under and the success that Giannis and the brand have had to date, Nike looked to lock in a shoe deal extension well ahead of the expiration date in July 2023, so as not to interrupt the ongoing planning for the Fall 2024 season at the time. 

As a dude that specifically covers sneaker deals, a few weeks beforehand this past June, I got a DM on Instagram from Giannis himself. He was looking to give me a ring and pick my brain about the signature shoe business at large, as he weighed the new extension, just before heading to China for his latest sneaker tour with Nike.

“Man, I’m gonna give you a shout-out here, Nick,” Antetokounmpo now jokes. “For a lot of people that don’t know, me and Nick, we had a lot of conversations throughout the summer. He’s got a lot of knowledge on contract extensions and the footwear world.” 

As it turned out, he quietly and happily inked the new long-term deal that is set to make him one of the industry’s highest-earning sneaker endorsers, while also guaranteeing longevity in the sneaker game that few players achieve during their playing careers. 

“It was easy for me,” he says now. “It was legacy. We talked about it. I had the opportunity to have a Giannis 10 and Giannis 15, and I don’t think there’s a lot of people that can say that. Obviously, Kobe, KD and LeBron — those are the three, and now I’m joining a list like that.”

As he’s shown throughout his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks, his decision to extend with Nike was also powered by the connective elements of both familiarity and loyalty. 

“I pride myself on my loyalty and sticking around with the people that have supported me and given me the opportunity to be where I am today,” he described. “That’s what I tried to do.”

Giannis fondly remembers once sharing Nike shoes with his older brother Thanasis when they couldn’t both afford a pair of basketball shoes while growing up in Greece, later first inking a modest-paying shoe deal as a teenager beginning his pro career in Europe and now being one of the Swoosh’s global featured faces of the entire company. 

“Nike believed in me when I was a skinny 17-year-old kid with nothing,” he smiled. “Again, it was a no-brainer to continue this partnership and to build something great here. It’s going to last longer than me. I’m very, very happy for the extension.” 

The Team Ownership Portfolio 

In addition to the media company, another of Antetokounmpo’s noted focuses in recent years has been his pursuit of team ownership stakes across professional leagues in the US. Since signing a supermax contract in 2019 and his most recent max extension last fall, he’s set his sights on building out an ownership portfolio across other professional sports leagues. 

Giannis and the Ante, Inc. parent company are currently minority owners across three leagues, holding equity percentages of the MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers, the MLS’s Nashville SC, and the Los Angeles Golf Club of the upcoming Tiger Woods-backed Tomorrow’s Golf League. In each case, he and his brothers have entered into the ownership groups together. 

“I’m trying to do things that I’m passionate about,” he said. “The Milwaukee Brewers — it’s home. I know the best player on the team, and that was easy. Soccer, my dad played soccer, and I played soccer since I was like 11 before I focused on basketball. I’m a big, big soccer fan.”

While he admits he’s just beginning on the links, the potential and excitement around the upcoming TGL and the opportunity to take on an equity stake in one of just six of the upstart league’s franchises was too good to pass up. 

“Once I’m done with basketball, maybe I’ll get myself into golf a bit more,” he joked. “[With] golf, I’m trying to get myself together, man. [laughs] My swing is not that good, but Doc Rivers might help with that. He’s a big golf player and golf fan, so we’ll see. I’m just excited to do things that I can prep for my career for after basketball.”

As TV and streaming platforms continue to prioritize high-cost rights to air live sports, franchise valuations across leagues have rapidly accelerated over the last decade. There’s perhaps no better case study than the Bucks, who were purchased for $550 million in 2014, the year after Giannis’ rookie season. 

Thanks to his star power, the continued global growth of the NBA, and the Bucks’ championship run in 2021, the franchise currently boasts a valuation of over $3.2 billion. With over $400 million in combined on-court past earnings and guaranteed future contract years, and another max contract likely in store ahead, Antetokounmpo doesn’t necessarily want to estimate how much he’s helped to spike that rise in the Bucks’ overall valuation, though he’s proud of the contribution he’s certainly made. 

“I really don’t know, and I don’t want to sound arrogant,” he said. “But anyone that’s followed my journey and the Bucks’ journey will understand my impact on the team being worth $3 billion dollars — it’s big. But I really don’t care about that.

“I understand that it’s a business, and the owners gotta do what they have to do,” he continued. “I didn’t buy the team for $400 or $500 million — they did. They’re the ones that sold the team when the valuation was $3 billion. They’re businessmen, and they have to make a living. They’re good in business and good at putting value into stuff and flipping it. They’re good at putting everything together for it to be successful.”

With the experience of seeing that rise up close and in real-time, the 29-year-old has learned the value of already taking on ownership stakes in leagues he has the ability to enter now. His franchise stakes across three teams currently set him up to benefit as each league and the sporting landscape continue to grow. 

The Legacy 

Across the myriad of moves made, companies launched, investments, and endorsements inked, Giannis doesn’t hesitate to reflect on how he’s gotten to this point and the legacy he’s looking to build for himself and his family. 

He always comes back to his father Charles, and the pride to pursue the impossible that was instilled in him early on after his family’s humble upbringing in Greece. 

“My dad did not have nothing,” he reflects calmly, with a pause. “But he had us.”

Since 2017, Giannis has relentlessly sought to celebrate Charles’s life and impact on his children. Just afterward, he tasked the Nike design team with always including a phrase on his annual signature shoes: “I Am My Father’s Legacy.” 

“When he passed away, he didn’t leave money, cars, or houses — none of that,” continued Antetokounmpo. “But he left his legacy with me and my brothers. So we want to represent him every single day to the best of our abilities. That’s what we try to do.”

As a result, his budding business empire is shaping up not just to generate “a lot of money” for Antetokounmpo, but through his foundation, his media company, his athletics academy, and his inspiring play on the court, Giannis is already seeing just how his legacy can begin to extend around the world and make its mark in Milwaukee and beyond.

“I’m just happy that I was able to impact the city of Milwaukee,” he said.

“I believe with me being there, I provided a lot of jobs, provided excitement and have tried to help the community with my family. … We’ve been able to uplift people and help close the gaps, man, and we’re doing it with the people that we love.”

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The post The Budding Business of Giannis appeared first on Boardroom.

Actor and entrepreneur Dwayne Johnson is venturing into men’s wellness with the launch of a personal care line, Papatui. Announcing the news on Instagram, The Rock‘s new line boasts products designed for skin, body, hair, and tattoo maintenance that are priced between $8 and $10. “Now what we did with Papatui, we wanted to focus on products that were hard-working, efficacious, high-quality, and, at the end of the day, it was important for me to deliver to you guys formulations that were premium,” said Johnson. All vegan and free of sulfites, look for the items in three scents — Cedar Sport, Lush Coconut, and Sandwood Suede.

The Phoenix Suns Will Host 2027 NBA All-Star Weekend

The Phoenix Suns will host the 2027 NBA All-Star Weekend, the league announced Thursday. This marks the fourth time Phoenix will welcome the NBA‘s best for the weekend, having last served as the host city in 2009. The city’s Footprint Center, however, will open its doors from July 18-20 this year when the organization hosts WNBA All-Star Weekend. If approved, this will mark the third consecutive season All-Star Weekend will be hosted by a Western Conference team — the Golden State Warriors are hosting at the Chase Center in 2025, while the Clippers take on the responsibilities in 2026 at the Intuit Dome.

Bitcoin Hits New Milestone, Briefly Breaks $70K For First Time Ever

Breaking its own record within a matter of days, Bitcoin reached a new all-time high of $70,170 on Friday, eclipsing the $70K mark for the first time ever. According to CNBC, the cryptocurrency is on pace to end the week 10% higher than it started. Of course, crypto trading can be volatile, and it’s been particularly rocky this week with companies quickly falling after reaching new heights before recovering shortly after. But it’s been a historic week for Bitcoin, as it’s been trading above $66,000 consistently throughout the week.

Be sure to subscribe to Boardroom’s Tech Talk newsletter with Michelai Graham to get the latest crypto & tech news in your inbox every Sunday.

Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony to be Held Outside Stadium at Sunset

Organizers confirmed Friday that the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics will be held during sunset along the river Seine. This marks the first time an Olympic opening ceremony will be held outside a stadium setting, which coincides with their motto — Games Wide Open. Scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Paris time, expect roughly 10,500 athletes to parade through the French capital on boats along a near-four-mile route. “With the natural light of the setting sun, the event will be even more sublime, with a truly poetic dimension, inviting both athletes and the public to appreciate the natural beauty of the City of Light,” Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, said.

‘Black Twitter: A People’s History’ to Air on Hulu on May 9

Former Insecure showrunner Prentice Penny‘s latest project that explores the cultural impact of Black Twitter will premiere May 9 on Hulu. Titled Black Twitter: A People’s History, the three-part docuseries based on Jason Parham’s July 2021 WIRED cover “charts the rise, movements, voices, and memes that made Black Twitter an influential and dominant force in nearly every aspect of American political and cultural life,” writes the release. Contributors to the Hulu program include author Roxane Gay, journalist Jemele Hill, TV writer Ira Madison III, comedian and actress Amanda Seales, and more.

SLAM Buys College Basketball Brand 19nine

Lifestyle company SLAM has acquired college basketball apparel corporation 19nine, and while financial details weren’t revealed, Sportico notes that 19nine has licenses with more than 80 colleges and universities. The merger also allows for the development of a new facility in Indiana. Sports private equity firm JDS Sports, SLAM’s parent company, invested in 19nine back in 2020 to expand business operations and sell 19nine products online, so this acquisition by SLAM was simply the basketball magazine obtaining the rest of the company.

The post Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Launches Personal Men’s Grooming Line appeared first on Boardroom.

The Philadelphia 76ers announced Friday that Hall of Fame guard Allen Iverson will become the 10th player in franchise history to be honored with a sculpture at the team’s training complex. The unveiling ceremony is scheduled for April 12, and two days later, Iverson will also be honored ahead of the Sixers’ game against the Brooklyn Nets. “Paying homage to the legends who paved the way for our franchise is not only the right thing to do; it’s an incredible source of inspiration for current and future generations of 76ers players and staff who enter our Training Complex every day, as well as kids in the city of Philadelphia and at large,” said Sixers co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer. During his tenure with the team, Iverson became an 11-time All-Star and four-time league scoring champion. He also led the Sixers to the playoffs six times, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2001.

Elon Musk is Suing OpenAI, Sam Altman Over Contract Breach

Claiming the company abandoned its goal of developing AI “for the benefit of humanity broadly,” Elon Musk is suing OpenAI, its CEO Sam Altman, and others affiliated with the company. Per The New York Times, the 35-page lawsuit was filed Thursday in Superior Court in San Francisco and seeks a jury trial. Musk, who left OpenAI in 2018, is suing over breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and dishonest business practices. The Tesla CEO also wants a ruling to prohibit anyone, including Microsoft, from benefiting from OpenAI‘s software.

Lindsey Vonn Joins Utah Royals Ownership Ahead of NWSL Return

Three-time Olympic medalist Lindsey Vonn announced on Thursday she has joined the Utah Royals FC ownership group, one led by David Blitzer and Ryan Smith. “I’m so excited to be supporting women and especially women in the Utah community. As someone that’s been a member of the Utah community for a long time and also helping the Olympic bid for 2034, I’m so excited to have the Utah Royals back in the NWSL,” Vonn said. Initially established in 2017, the Utah Royals played two seasons in the NWSL before postponing its operations in 2020 and moving to Kansas City in 2021. Behind Blitzer and Smith, the organization was brought back as an expansion team and will make a rare second debut on March 16 at home against Chicago.

‘Dune: Part Two’ Makes Over $12M in Previews from Box Office Debut

Dune: Part Two has now grossed more than $12 million in previews across 3,400 theaters, Variety reported Friday. IMAX venues alone made $4.5 million. For context, the first Dune film recorded $5.1 million in previews during its simultaneous debut in theatres and Max during the pandemic in 2021. The sci-fi sequel from Warner Bros. and Legendary is estimated to earn between $70 million and $80 million in its opening weekend. However, some projections are aiming the movie even higher in the $90 million range. Dune: Part Two stars Timothée Chalamet, Austin Butler, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, and many more famous faces are guaranteed to garner sold-out audiences.

8 MLS Teams Included in New Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Format

US Soccer confirmed Friday it’s decided on the format of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, scheduled to run from March 19 through Sept. 25. Per the announcement, 96 teams from across the amateur and professional status will play a total of 95 matches during that period. Out of those 96, only eight play in Major League Soccer: Atlanta United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, LAFC, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, and Sporting Kansas City. They make up the Division I teams. The remaining 88 teams will be split between Division II, Division III, and the Open Division. The opening round will be the first time since 2008 that all 32 games will be exclusively between amateur teams from the Open Division and professional teams from Division III. Find all the details at ussoccer.com.

The post Allen Iverson Getting a Statue Outside of 76ers Practice Facility appeared first on Boardroom.

Madison Square Garden has always been a special place to play for Stephen Curry.

Curry’s 54-point performance on Feb. 27, 2013, at MSG proved to the world he was a force to be reckoned with as a superstar, and on Dec. 14, 2021, Curry broke Ray Allen’s all-time 3-point record at The Garden in a nationally televised game on TNT. Just over 11 years to the day of his king-making performance at the Mecca, which remained his career high until 2021, Steph and the Golden State Warriors visit the ascendant New York Knicks in prime time on TNT.

In collaboration with our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook, we put together a four-leg parlay fans can wager on Thursday on the FanDuel Sportsbook App and retail locations across the country. The Boardroom Brand Builders Parlay celebrates Curry and his legendary Warriors running mate Klay Thompson — NBA champions who are successful entrepreneurs off the court who can help you win big Thursday thanks to their amazing contributions on the hardwood.

All betting odds are current as of 2 p.m. EST on Feb. 29

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Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors

Widely regarded as the greatest shooter of all time, the four-time NBA champion, two-time MVP, nine-time All-NBA, and 10-time All-Star has also developed quite the investment portfolio. Curry’s SC30 Inc. combines his endorsement, investment, and philanthropic endeavors into one company.

His Curry Brand sneakers and apparel imprint with Under Armour signed Sacramento Kings star guard De’Aaron Fox in October as the first signature athlete besides Curry himself. You may have seen Steph recently in commercials for CarMax, Subway, and Chase, and his investment portfolio includes TMRW Sports, Tonal, Squire, and Super.com.

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Curry’s Unanimous Media, per its website, aims to “develop, create, and distribute compelling family, faith, and sports based content for all” in film and TV, podcasting, publishing, and gaming. Projects have included ABC‘s mini golf show Holey Moley, HBO Max‘s celebrity couple game show About Last Night, and the 2022 Audible podcast series The Greatest Sports Stories Never Told.

In 2021, the 35-year-old signed a four-year, $215 million contract extension that expires in 2026. While he won’t be giving you any of his contract money, you can make some cash off Steph’s strong performance on Thursday.

Boardroom Bet: 25+ points (-200 via FanDuel Sportsbook), 6+ assists (+135 via FanDuel Sportsbook)

Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors

While Curry is widely regarded as the best basketball shooter who ever lived, Thompson is among the all-time greats in this regard as well. The final year of Klay’s five-year, $189 million has been a turbulent one, transitioning nicely to a bench role while his 3-point shooting percentage dips to a career-low 37.2%.

The 34-year-old remains as popular as ever inside and outside the Bay Area, with a strong group of investments and endorsements to match. Thompson has a signature shoe deal with Anta, hawks sandwiches for Subway, promotes health and wellness for Kaiser Permanente, and has promoted movies on social media like Bob Marley: One Love and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. In the past few years, Klay has put money into Sleeper, Overtime, Dapper Labs, and funding rounds for at least a few healthcare companies.

In four games since he was moved to a reserve role, Thompson is shooting 41.2% from 3-point range and knocking down four triples per contest. Play it right, and he may make it rain for you against the Knicks on Thursday.

Boardroom Bet: 15+ points (-140 via FanDuel Sportsbook), 3+ made threes (-195 via FanDuel Sportsbook)

All told — solid scoring performances from both Steph and Play, the tried and trusted dynamic duo, could mean a major payout just in time for the weekend slate. Here’s your 4-leg parlay odds, according to FanDuel Sportsbook:

Boardroom Brand Builders Parlay Total: +509

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If you ask Kelley Walton about her career trajectory, she’ll tell you she’s someone who has operated behind the scenes across the marketing industry for the past 20 years at some of the most notable global brands.

Today, Walton is the head of global brand, product, and integrated marketing at Amazon Music. She’s grown into an integrated marketing strategies maven as a byproduct of her work at top brands such as the NBA, Under Armour, LVMH, and others. Like most, Walton’s career path was not linear, but she’s strived not only to climb the corporate ranks but to make sure she’s laying the foundation for more diverse professionals to follow in her footsteps.

“What I have come to really sharpen and hone in on is what I do well and what I can deliver. I’m really good at helping deliver business results at this intersection of culture, community, and commerce. I pay really close attention to trends and patterns,” Walton told Boardroom in an exclusive interview. “Long before the industry and everyone had their wake-up call with the unfortunate incidents around George Floyd’s death, I realized and was able to show that authentically connecting with young and diverse consumers was good for business. And so that’s what I’ve been able to do.”

As part of Boardroom’s Black History Month coverage, take a look at Walton’s career and her work in DEI to find out why she’s become a playmaker to watch and learn from in the marketing industry.

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Setting the Goal

Believe it or not, Walton grew up wanting to be an obstetrician-gynecologist, which is why she studied biology at Morris Brown College. She got about halfway through her studies before realizing she couldn’t stand the sight of blood. Since Walton was studying at the HBCU on an academic scholarship, she decided to finish her degree program. After college, she landed a temp job at a fintech company, but this business environment still didn’t interest her enough.

Walton played basketball growing up in Akron, Ohio, so sports have always been a part of her life. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and it wasn’t until one of her sorority sisters was going away to study sports marketing in graduate school at St. Thomas University that she realized what she wanted to do. Walton went to visit her in Miami before embarking on her own graduate school journey, where she earned an MBA in sports marketing and management at St. Thomas.

“I was like, if there’s a way that I can combine my love of sports with this business environment, I think that will be amazing for me,” Walton said.

Walton dived into her new career with ease. Early on, one of her most memorable learning experiences was her time interning with one of the only Black nightlife club owners in South Beach, Onyx. There, she observed first-hand how intertwined the sports and nightlife worlds really were. Walton also spent some time interning in the athletic department at the University of Miami and worked with a Super Bowl host committee. Collectively, these experiences shaped her love and passion for marketing and ultimately helped her decide that it was a career for her.

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Paving the Way

Walton’s first full-time gig out of grad school was at an agency where Coca-Cola was her client. About two years into her role, Coca-Cola recruited her to join its team internally as an associate marketing manager. Philip Polk, a DEI executive and former chief DEI officer and VP of multicultural strategy at Hallmark Cards, was one of Walton’s mentors at the time who helped guide her through this transition. His insight and advice became integral to her growth.

“There have been people along my journey that have been great sounding boards for me and great mentors that helped me focus my thinking in a way that would be most helpful,” she said. “I try to offer the same for others now as well.”

Walton is a vocal advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Early on in her career, she was hyper-focused on networking and building relationships with like-minded individuals. One organization that had an impact on her early on was Women in Sports and Events (WISE), a leading resource for women working in the sports industry who want to connect and support one another. Walton joined WISE when she landed her first tole in the sports industry at ESPN as a manager of integrated marketing and sponsorships.

“It was great to connect with other women in the sports industry and get tips and tricks on navigating the industry and how to network,” Walton said. “What I love about my experience with WISE is that it did come back around later in my career when I was at Under Armour. I re-engaged with WISE after going out of the sports industry for a while.”

After ESPN, Walton spent four years as at Heineken. There, she parlayed her accomplishments and her connections to her next role at LVMH as the director of brand and integrated marketing for Hennessy. By the time Walton reached Under Armour, where she served as a VP and head of global brand experience, she began serving as a mentor for younger WISE members, and she even brought the organization into some of the work she was doing at the sportswear company. Walton was integral in helping set up a women’s employee resource group at Under Armour, and she brought WISE in to help consult on that with the company’s leadership team.

To this day, Walton keeps her executive coach by her side for guidance because she never wants to stop learning and elevating her expertise. The impact is undeniable. Walton has become an executive whose work speaks for her, even when she isn’t around. Through the years, she’s been offered positions by several notable brands. I jokingly told her she has mastered the art of avoiding the traditional interview process because her strong resume speaks for itself.

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Making Her Mark

Walton’s secret sauce is getting global brands to open up to the idea of authentically bringing diverse voices into their most visible campaigns. She said that she’s shown that having a wide range of perspectives in the room, including the teams doing the work, helps deliver a better product and a greater impact. As she looks back on her career thus far, she cites Hennessy’s rebrand and the NBA’s 75th Anniversary campaign as the two most memorable projects that have integrated that core philosophy.

“I’m not about being extractive or transactional when engaging with diverse audiences. I really believe there has to be a partnership and ability to co-create together,” she said. “I’d like to say I focus on culture because it always has been and continues to be a key element of delivering this impact for the brands I represent.”

Rebranding Hennessy

Walton brought this focus into the work she did on the Hennessy campaign launch in 2012, an expansive advertising and marketing campaign. Walton was charged with relaunching the renowned spirit’s brand to help regain its luxury and lifestyle credentials. To do this, she targeted young multicultural men, a group of consumers she felt would drive Hennessy’s campaigns at the time. And she was right since this rebrand led to key partnerships with the ESPYs, Coachella, the Grammys, and more. Walton also spearheaded Hennessy’s presence on Martha’s Vineyard, a perennial hot spot for the Black community.

“Music, sports, film, and art were key passion points for this audience,” she said. “Going all the way back to Hennessy Artistry and things like that, that was part of spinning up strategies to bring these passion points to life for our target customer and really bring them closer to the brand.”

Walton is also responsible for securing Hennessy’s partnership with Nas, and she led the charge on the brand’s support in the making of his 2014 documentary, Time Is Illmatic.

“I led the partnership of the launch of that with the Tribeca Film Fest, where Time Is Illmatic was the first music documentary to open that film festival, which was historic at the time, and then the national rollout of the film,” Walton said.

The NBA’s 75th Anniversary

Walton served as the NBA’s VP of global brand marketing and creative between 2020 and 2022, where she led the development and worked on the league’s 75th Anniversary campaign. Growing up in Akron meant even more to Walton to work on this project since All-Star Weekend was in Cleveland that year. Walton was at the center of everything, from coming up with the big strategic ideas to collaborating with all the players to developing NBA Lane.

During this time, Walton worked closely with Devin Booker, LeBron James, and Michael B Jordan. She recalls being on set to shoot one day for the opening sequence of the campaign video and wanting Russell Westbrook to tell his story about fashion. Her team was struggling to connect with him, but while on set, James took it upon himself to call Westbrook up to entice him to participate. Before the end of the day, Russell showed up, and Walton and her team quickly created a vignette that was authentic to him and his interests.

“I think what I’m most proud of is that when I first started at the NBA, we had to beg, borrow, and steal to get the players actually to be a part of marketing campaigns, and by the time I left, they were advocating for one another to participate,” Walton said.

Climbing and Thriving

Walton’s work as the head of global brand, product, and integrated marketing at Amazon Music is her first foray into working with a Big Tech brand. Consumer tech has always been an area she wanted to work in, but she wanted to make the pivot authentically. She joined when the company was looking to rebrand and relaunch Amazon Music. Walton felt like good synergy with the opportunity and said she would not have left the NBA without a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity such as this.

In this new chapter, Walton pulls from what she knows. As with her past stops, she is consistently asking herself how Amazon Music can strategically attract young and diverse audiences and, specifically, how they can do so as authentically as she did working in other industries.

“[At] Amazon, broadly, we are customer-obsessed. At Amazon Music, we’re fan-obsessed. We know that our fans crave a variety of tastes in music and experiences. People might say it’s pushing a lot of water uphill, but I’d say it’s actually not,” Walton said. “I usually get these calls when companies have real business opportunities by reaching young and diverse audiences and showing up authentically with them; it’s going to help move the needle on business results. I don’t find that I have to do a lot of convincing at Amazon Music around what we need to do in the space, whether it’s our year-long support of the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, or it is the work that we do with the Latin audience, the K-pop space, you name it.”

Walton said there’s always a willingness to bring different perspectives to the table at Amazon Music, and she said that’s mainly because there are other Black women sitting next to her making it happen.

“In many cases in my career, I’ve been the one and only in the room. And it is nice not to be the one and only and to have people,” she said.

Walton’s Future

In the next decade or so, Walton sees herself retired on a beach, doing a different type of work that fulfills her. She said she’ll continue mentoring, angel investing, and volunteering with the philanthropy-focused organization she’s passionate about.

Young Black professionals looking to climb the ranks at notable brands like Walton, she has one Golden Rule to share with you: treat others how you want to be treated. She said you never know who may open doors for you, and her career trajectory is a true testament to that.

Also, it is important to give yourself room to learn and grow at all points in your career, even if it feels uncomfortable.

“Always strive for excellence, but I think we need to kick this notion of not giving yourself permission to experiment because Black people don’t have the luxury to fail,” Walton said. “We have to be willing to experiment, and we have to find places and spaces that are safe for us to do that for our own growth. And as leaders, it’s important that we create that for the ones coming behind us as well.”

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The post Kelley Walton: Amazon Music’s Marketing Maven appeared first on Boardroom.

Boardroom and Coinbase synced up once again to curate a room full of the most notable athletes, executives, and entertainers during NBA All-Star Weekend 2024.

By now, All-Star Weekend attendees know that Boardroom and Coinbase‘s brunch is one of the top events you don’t want to miss throughout the weekend. This year’s event was co-hosted by Minnesota Timberwolves‘ Anthony Edwards and Boardroom co-founders and co-CEOs Rich Kleiman and Kevin Durant.

“We’re proud to keep hosting an incredible event year after year at All-Star,” Kleiman said. “There was so much joy, connection, and education in the room this weekend, and we look forward to continuing to do so for years to come.”

An estimated 450 guests made an appearance at the brunch, which was hosted at the Hulman in downtown Indianapolis on Saturday, Feb. 17. Boardroom turned the venue into the premier brunch space that donned a coffee station, specialty cocktails, a Cierto Tequila display, a photo moment, and more.

Chase B, the star of Boardroom’s new series AUX MONEY, brought the sounds and good vibes on the mic as expected. The specialty cocktails were the highlight of the show, and the All-Star, which included Cierto Tequila, passionfruit, Amaro, and Anise, was a crowd favorite.

“Crypto moves the financial system forward — making it cheaper, faster, and more accessible. Basketball fans are younger, more likely to own crypto and see it as the future of finance,” Kate Rouch, Coinbase’s Chief Marketing Officer, said. “We were thrilled to co-host some of the biggest names in finance, technology, and sports. We’re united by our belief that it’s time for an update.”

The Foot Locker sneaker wall became a hot commodity for guest photos, decorated with Durant and Edwards’ All-Star sneaker colorways. The activation came as part of Foot Locker’s broader strategy around the weekend, where it unveiled its new year-round platform, The Heart of Sneakers. The new platform highlights Foot Locker’s extensive and renowned brand.

“Storytelling is more important than ever, and Boardroom has been one of the leading voices in sports and entertainment. We were thrilled to partner with their team to bring the Boardroom Brunch to life at NBA All-Star in Indianapolis,” Frank Bracken, Chief Commercial Officer and EVP at Foot Locker, said in a statement. “The event brought some of the most influential people in the industry all under one roof, including Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker.”

Boardroom and Coinbase have shown time and time again that they know how to get important people under one roof to rub elbows and break bread. Their third annual brunch at NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 was no different.

The curated guest list included influential names across sports, business, media, and music, including Devin Booker, GloRilla, Anré Williams, Yung Miami, Neal Mohan, Taylor Rooks, Chet Holmgren, Cathy Englebert, Fabolous, Gayle King, Speedy Morman, Sabrina Ionescu, and many more.

And we can’t forget about the coffee station, which became a section of the brunch everyone knew they needed. There were also cold brew cans decorated with a message about crypto.

Stay tuned for more from Boardroom and Coinbase.

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The post Views From Boardroom & Coinbase’s Third Annual NBA All-Star Brunch appeared first on Boardroom.

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama has recently made waves on social media with some of his pregame fits, and that’s no coincidence. The Frenchman announced on Monday that he’s become the newest ambassador for Louis Vuitton, planting his 7-4 frame in the fashion industry. “Striving for excellence and with a perpetual honing of craft, Victor joins Louis Vuitton on a journey of shared values and aligned ambitions. Like Louis Vuitton himself, the young athlete has blazed a trail, excelling in a career that is only just beginning,” the company said in a statement. Other athletes in the Louis Vuitton family include tennis stars Carlos Alcaraz and Naomi Osaka, skier Eileen Gu, and fencer Enzo Lefort.

FuboTV Suing Disney, Fox Sports, Warner Bros. Over Sports Streaming Merger

Remember that monumental merger between Disney, Fox Sports, and Warner Bros. that was going to change the game in sports streaming? FuboTV is saying not so fast, citing “extreme suppression of competition in the U.S. sports-focused streaming market” in a lawsuit filed against the media giants in New York on Tuesday. The move came after Fubo’s stock dipped 25% in the wake of the announcement earlier this month. Prior to this news, the packaged option was aiming for a fall launch.

NBA All-Star Game Viewership Up from 2023

Despite many griping about the level of play, the NBA announced on Tuesday that 11.6 million unique viewers tuned in to watch the 2024 All-Star Game on Sunday night across TNT, TBS, truTV, and B/R Sports on Max, which is a 20% increase compared to 2023. The game also averaged 5.5 million viewers throughout, up 14% versus last year. Last year’s game clocked in as the least-watched All-Star Game on record, but the year-over-year jump was the highest the league has seen since 2011. In what was the highest-scoring game in All-Star’s 73-year history, the East thumped the West 211-186, with Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard taking home All-Star MVP honors with a 39-point performance.

Roger Federer Documentary to Release on Amazon’s Prime Video

Prime Video announced a new documentary about tennis great Roger Federer on Monday. The untitled program will chronicle the final 12 days of Federer‘s 24-year pro tennis career and will also feature interviews with his longtime rivals and friends, including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray. Tasked with directing the project is Asif Kapadia, an Oscar and BAFTA winner for the Amy Winehouse documentary Amy, BAFTA winner Senna, and Diego Maradona. Joe Sabia, creator of Vogue’s 73 Questions series, will co-direct the Prime Video project.

Lil Wayne, Nas, Jill Scott to Headline Roots Picnic 2024

The Roots and Live Nation Urban have revealed the full lineup of Roots Picnic 2024, which is scheduled to take place at The Mann in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. The two-day affair will be headlined by Lil Wayne with The Roots, Nas, and Jill Scott, with a special performance from André 3000, supporting his debut solo album, New Blue Sun. Also lending their talents are the likes of Gunna, new Grammy winner Victoria Monét, Sexyy Red, Babyface, Robert Glasper with Yebba, Smino, Cam’ron, Wale, Tyla, Leon Thomas, Q, and more. Roots Picnic is going down June 1- 2; general tickets are available for purchase on Friday.

The College Football Playoff to Officially Use 5-7 Revised Format

The structure for the new 12-team College Football Playoff format is officially confirmed. The revised format will consist of the five highest-ranked conference champions and the seven highest-ranked teams outside of the initial group. The previous layout was set to be 6+6, with the top six conference champions gaining guaranteed access. But when the Pac-12 collapsed last year, consequently leaving college football with just four power conferences, CFP voters regrouped. “This is a very logical adjustment for the College Football Playoff based on the evolution of our conference structures since the board first adopted this new format in September 2022,” Dr. Mark Keenum, Chair of the CFP Board of Managers, said. “I know this change will also be well received by student-athletes, coaches and fans. We all will be pleased to see this new format come to life on the field this postseason.”

Kevin Durant on OKC, LeBron, Olympics & More in Boardroom Cover Story

35V co-founders Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman sit down for a wide-ranging, candid conversation for Boardroom’s newest Cover Story. Shot in Orlando, Durant opens up about his ascent to basketball dignitary during his Oklahoma City Thunder days, the rehabilitation process after tearing his Achilles, the desire to bring an NBA franchise back to Seattle, the upcoming Paris Olympics, and so much more.

Be sure to watch the entire can’t-miss discussion.

The post Victor Wembanyama Is Louis Vuitton’s Newest Ambassador appeared first on Boardroom.

A peek into today’s edition:

• Big Tech’s strong presence at NBA All-Star 2024
• Bitcoin surpasses $51K
• OpenAI announces a new text-to-video platform

Big Tech is Strong in Indy for NBA All-Star Weekend 2024

Big Tech and the NBA go hand-in-hand as the league continues to implement creative ways to bring tech into the popular sport.

The NBA hosted its 24th annual NBA All-Star Technology Summit on Friday, where it brought together leaders across tech, sports business, and media to have off-the-record dialogues about trends and innovations across their industries. The NBA is undoubtedly the most tech-focused league out there, in my opinion, and that’s because it consistently goes above and beyond to implement and showcase its new tech innovations. IIt did so again at the Tech Summit on Friday as Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama joined Adam Silver to unveil NB-AI, an NBA-trained voice assistant that leverages AI tech to personalize the live game viewing experience for fans. The league didn’t announce when the new offering will launch or if it will cost at this time.

Outside of the summit, Big Tech giants like Meta and Google had a strong presence throughout the weekend, with tech-focused activations and exclusive programming. One of my favorite events of the weekend was the Google Pixel Combine, which featured interactive stations to showcase its latest device in action. Foot Locker also got in on some tech action with an interactive LED half-court.

Check out my story, All Things Tech at NBA All-Star Weekend 2024, for a full download on what some of the top tech brands have planned for the big game.

Bitcoin Surpasses $51K as Next Halving Event Nears

Bitcoin surpassed the $51,000 threshold earlier this week for the first time since December 2021, marking a new two-year high for the world’s most valuable digital asset. This pushed the token’s market cap back over $1 trillion, which is also the first time this has happened since late 2021. So far, my crypto predictions for the year are coming true since the SEC approved spot Bitcoin ETFs, and Bitcoin breezed past $40,000. ETFs are driving the current rally behind Bitcoin as the token’s price continues to drive up. Remember, Bitcoin’s highest value per token was $69,000 in November 2021. It’s too soon to tell if it will reach that threshold again, but you can expect I’ll make a bet on it soon.

It’s also important to remember that Bitcoin’s next halving can occur as soon as April 17, which is roughly two months away. Check out my explainer on what a Bitcoin Halving is to learn more.

Elsewhere in the crypto world, the sentencing for Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has been rescheduled for April 30. CZ’s sentencing was initially scheduled for Feb. 23, and he is facing up to 10 years in prison for pleading guilty to anti-money laundering charges.

Nvidia’s Market Cap Outpaces Alphabet & Amazon as AI Chip Market Booms

Nvidia won this week after it surpassed Amazon in market capitalization on Tuesday for the first time since 2002, but the AI chipmaker didn’t stop there. The company went on to overtake Alphabet on Wednesday as well, becoming one of the top three most valuable tech companies on the market behind Microsoft and Apple. Nvidia’s stock has risen more than 200% in the last 12 months as demand for its AI chips continues to rise. The company’s chips power popular AI models from OpenAI, Amazon, Google, and others.

Nvidia will share its next earnings report on Wednesday, Feb. 21. Stay tuned for an explainer of the AI chipmaker and why it’s having a meteoric rise right now.

• OpenAI announced a new text-to-video AI platform called Sora, which lets users create realistic or animated videos up to 60 seconds from simple text prompts. The generative AI company showcased its new tech offerings through a thread of posts on X featuring different prompts and the videos they created.
• Elon Musk is moving all of his businesses out of Delaware after a judge in the state rejected his Tesla pay package reportedly worth more than $55 billion. Musk filed to move SpaceX and Tesla to Texas and Neuralink to Nevada.
• Google Pixel inked a deal to become the official mobile phone of the NWSL to further media coverage of women’s sports through exclusive behind-the-scenes access to game highlights, teams, and players. Elsewhere, Verizon and the NHL renewed their multi-year partnership to bring more 5G connectivity to arenas.
• New York City and a few agencies are suing TikTok, Meta, Snap, and YouTube, alleging that the tech companies intentionally implement tactics to get young users hooked on their platforms. NYC Mayor Eric Adams said the state is seeking a jury trial, policy changes, and financial damages.
• President Joe Biden‘s re-election campaign launched a TikTok account to attract younger voters on the platform, and the account has already attracted more than 145,000 followers (as of Friday afternoon).
• The European Union ruled that Apple won’t be forced to make iMessage interoperable with other messaging platforms, and Microsoft won’t have to tighten restrictions on its Bing search engine. The EU concluded that the services don’t meet designation under its Digital Markets Act, which is a win for the Big Tech giants.

The US Patent and Trademark Office shared new guidance that says AI systems cannot be named inventors in applications, but humans can leverage AI tools to create patented works as long as they disclose that they do. I’m going to bet that as AI systems get smarter, these rules will change to allow AI platforms to be named inventors.

The post Big Tech is Strong in Indy for 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend appeared first on Boardroom.

All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis is upon us, and it’s one of the most exciting weekends of the NBA season. But for some fans watching outside of the 463, it might not feel that way.

NBA All-Star Weekend and the accompanying competitions that come with it — the Slam Dunk Contest, the Skills Competition, and the 3-Point Contest — have seemingly taken a hit in popularity over the last half-decade or so. The Slam Dunk Contest would garner names the casual fan may not know, the 3-Point Contest got boring, and the All-Star Game itself got hard to watch for those who enjoy a competitive basketball environment.

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Over the years, the NBA has attempted to remedy the situation in numerous ways, such as adding props to the Dunk Contest, changing up the format of the All-Star Game, adding the Starry range ball to the 3-Point Contest, and more.

This year in Indy, the NBA is teaming up with its counterpart in the WNBA to try and level-up the 3-Point Contest to new heights. What better way to do that than pitting possibly the greatest shooter of all time against the player who boasts the record for the highest single-round score in the event’s history?

That’s right, Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu will square off this weekend in a special 1-on-1 iteration of the 3-Point Contest for shooting supremacy. This has been a long time coming, with the two playfully exchanging social media jabs that hinted at a potential competition.

The two have an admiration for each other and their respective games, but don’t get it twisted — this is going to be a battle on Saturday night in Indianapolis.

“However this plays out, it’s what sports is about, right?” Curry said at a press conference leading up to the event. “Competing, whatever the format is. She’s the champ, so I’m the contender. Let’s lay it out on the line.”

Tale of the Tape: Steph vs. Sabrina

Speaking of formats, here’s how it will go down after the NBA 3-Point Contest inside Lucas Oil Stadium. The rules will follow those of a standard NBA 3-point competition, containing five racks of balls placed around the 3-point line. Four of the racks will boast four regular basketballs worth one point and one “money ball” worth two points. One rack will be only money balls.

Despite the event initially saying Ionescu would shoot from the WNBA line while Curry shoots from the NBA line, both players will be shooting from NBA 3-point range, something Ionescu was very adamant about.

Ionescu routinely knocks down from this range, and after scoring 37 of a possible 40 points in the final round of the WNBA 3-Point Contest last season, she’s proven she can thrive in this type of environment. As has Steph, a two-time 3-Point Contest champion on the NBA side.

With both being capable of knocking down shot after shot, this matchup might come down to whoever can hit their shots from Starry range. Each player will have two opportunities to knock it down from the extra-long distance, with each shot being worth three points.

What Having My Own Signature Shoe Has Meant To Me

In her own words, Sabrina Ionescu lets us in on how life has been since joining rare company with Nike earlier this year.

Check it out!

Steph vs. Sabrina FanDuel Odds

All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook as of Friday afternoon.

Odds to Win:

Stephen Curry | -215
Sabrina Ionescu | +164

To Make Both Shots from Starry Range:

• Steph: +280
• Sabrina: +450

Curry to Make 4+ Shots in a Row: -2000
Curry to Make 6+ Shots in a Row: -230
Curry to Make 8+ Shots in a Row: +145
Curry to Make 10+ Shots in a Row: +420

Ionescu to Make 4+ Shots in a Row: -2000
Ionescu to Make 6+ Shots in a Row: -210
Ionescu to Make 8+ Shots in a Row: +160
Ionescu to Make 10+ Shots in a Row: +500

More Hoops:

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The post Steph vs. Sabrina: The NBA & WNBA Square Off in Starry’s 3-Point Contest appeared first on Boardroom.

NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 is upon us in Indianapolis, and once again, the technology presence is stronger than ever, with artificial intelligence securing the spotlight as expected.

To kick off the busy weekend, the NBA hosted its 24th annual NBA All-Star Technology Summit, bringing together leaders across tech, sports business, and media to have off-the-record dialogues about trends and innovations across their industries. On the record, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama unveiled NB-AI, an NBA-trained voice assistant that leverages AI tech to personalize the live game viewing experience for fans. The new platform uses generative AI to recreate live games as fans see fit, even if that means watching games in the form of dramatic films.

Take a look at NB-AI in action.

There are a lot of tech-focused happenings slated over All-Star Weekend, but here are a few that stand out from big-name brands, such as the NBA itself, Meta, Foot Locker, and more.

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NBA All-Star LED Court

The NBA unveiled a video-enabled LED court that will be used for the main NBA All-Star events hosted at Lucas Oil Stadium over the weekend. The tech-focused court features interactive displays, full-color changes, live replays and game stats, and interactive games to engage fans in-arena.

Google Pixel Combine

Google is stepping out of the box once again with its Google Pixel Combine activation, where it transformed a space into the ultimate hoops heaven.

The activation has many fan engagement stations, from a rookie photo moment to skills training sessions, an open court, and a vintage locker room setup packed with NBA All-Star memorabilia. Throughout the venue, fans can find Google Pixel 8 Pro devices to capture fun moments throughout the experience. Throughout the weekend, Google is also hosting daytime programming and musical performances during the evening.

Ticketmaster’s Game and Go Arcade

Ticketmaster created an NBA arcade experience at NBA Crossover that will draw fans to play NBA Jam, compete in hoops trivia, and test their skills on pop-a-shot. Each fan who stops by will be awarded a scratch-off ticket revealing Ticketmaster prizes. Taylor Rooks, Dominique Wilkins, Joakim Noah, and Jamie Jacquez Jr. are expected to make appearances in the space throughout the weekend.

The Puma x Cheetos Interactive Experience

Puma is syncing up with Cheetos to immerse fans in a 3D larger-than-life Cheetos bag featuring a live mazze, basketball court, and more. Puma and Cheetos linked up for this activation to highlight the cross-section of hoops and snacks, and of course, fans who visit the experience will get a chance to win some giveaways and prizes. Puma and Cheetos’ activation also comes as they drop their sneaker collaboration on Feb. 16.

Coinbase Moonshot

Coinbase constructed a 29-foot-tall geodesic dome at NBA Crossover with one goal: to challenge fans to score a basket at the speed of crypto. To accomplish this, the crypto leader is using a panoramic screen to take guests into space as a basket loaded with high-tech sensors determines the speed and precision of their shot. Participants will have a chance to win limited-edition gear, NFTs, and a meet-and-greet with Indiana Pacers‘ Tyrese Haliburton.

Foot Locker’s Home Court

Foot Locker is taking over downtown Indianapolis with its custom 50,000-square-foot Home Court activation. The unique space features engaging experiences, events, and an interactive LED half-court. The sneaker company will host daily basketball clinics, sneaker trialing, customization stations, exclusive product releases, athlete appearances, and more in the space.

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The Meta Quest Suite

The Meta Quest 3 is the official virtual reality headset of the NBA, so it’s only right the brand is showing up in various places throughout NBA All-Star Weekend 2024. Meta is hosting invite-only experiences during the main events of All-Star Weekend to welcome select guests to get hands-on with Quest 3 devices and see how VR is bringing more fans closer to the game in a unique way. Invited guests can experience a variety of basketball and entertainment apps, including watching courtside NBA games in VR via Xtadium and getting shots up in Gym Class VR Basketball during the Panini Rising Stars and the All-Star game events.

AT&T at NBA Crossover

AT&T is hosting a few activations at NBA Crossover with different tech twists. Here is a rundown of each:

• AT&T Dribble Town: this immersive gameplay experience features NBa avatars who will act as guides for participants through a dribbling game. Guests get to select who they want their NBA motivator to be to offer real-time feedback and commentary.
• AT&T Splashville: this activation features a virtual court where fans can compete as their favorite Western Conference player and ace against the clock to make it into the NBA All-Star game.
• All-Star Mural: AT&T sponsored an interactive mural that lets fans get creative and make their own digital painting that can transform with augmented reality.

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The post All Things Tech at NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 appeared first on Boardroom.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is heading into NBA All-Star Weekend having topped all players in the vote. Now, he’s bringing his signature star power to his newest endorsement collab with Starry. Following the company’s Super Bowl spot featuring Ice Spice, it will take over Indianapolis as the sponsor of the upcoming 3-Point Contest and the HBCU Classic. Additionally, Starry serves as the official soft drink of the NBA, WNBA, and G League. The Bucks standout reflected on his new partnership, telling Boardroom’s Nick DePaula, “For many years now, you try to use All-Star Weekend as a platform. The NBA gives you a great opportunity to do that and partner with great companies like Starry to do activations and bring the world together. I know me and Starry, we have a lot of exciting things that we’re doing at All-Star Weekend.”

Read more from Nick DePaula about how Antetokounmpo and Starry plan to show up and show up at this year’s All-Star Weekend — and who he thinks will take the 3-point title between Sabrina and Steph.

Will Smith Set to Star in $80M Action Film ‘Sugar Bandits’

Will Smith is ready for his big screen return. The actor announced that he will star in the upcoming thriller Sugar Bandits, a film adapted from Chuck Hogan’s novel Devils in Exile. Hogan also wrote The Town. The film joins a packed production pipeline for Smith, who is also on board for a fourth installment of Bad Boys and a sequel to I Am Legend, set to co-star Michael B. Jordan.

Suns, Mercury Owner Mat Ishbia Eyes Business Expansion with New Investment Group

Mat Ishbia has big plans for Phoenix. The Suns and Mercury owner announced his newest venture, Player 15. The move follows an emerging trend of franchise owners developing all-encompassing businesses to house the various investments that come with the role. Player 15 will serve as the home to Ishbia’s investments in the Suns, Mercury, and the operations management of the Footprint Center. Ishbia confirmed the move to CNBC, saying, “It’s about unifying all of these businesses under one brand.” Additionally, Ishbia and the Suns also announced Wednesday that the team has acquired the right to own and operate a G League team in Phoenix, which will debut in 2024-25.

Usher’s Super Bowl Performance Becomes Most-watched Halftime Show Ever

The Usher effect is validated. Roc Nation announced that Usher’s electric halftime performance at Super Bowl LVIII recorded the highest total live audience in the history of the event with 202.4 million viewers, becoming the most-watched halftime show ever. This year’s viewership was also up 10% compared to last year’s Apple Music Halftime Show. This news comes on the heels of the Atlanta entertainer announcing another venture on Wednesday, in which he will produce a new series about “Black love in Atlanta” based on his music, Variety exclusively revealed. Usher will work with Universal Studios’ UCP to produce the show.

OpenAI Set to Launch Search Engine to Compete with Google

The rise of OpenAI over the last two years has made countless headlines. The emerging tech company is in the process of developing a search engine that will increase its competitive stake in a marketplace dominated by Google, according to The Information. The tool is being developed in partnership with its primary investor, Microsoft, and, thus, will be at least partially powered by Bing. The move could have major spillover effects for Microsoft, which could boost its advertising revenue should the OpenAI product be successful.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo Steps out with Starry for Latest Partnership appeared first on Boardroom.

JJ Redick has found his stride as an NBA announcer, and now he’ll join one of the best teams in the game. The long-time journeyman has made a name for himself as an analyst following his retirement. As Doc Rivers stepped off the set and into his new role as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach, ESPN found itself scrambling for its upcoming playoff coverage. The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reports that sources confirm recent rumors that Redick will step into the role on the network’s first team, joining Doris Burke and Mike Breen in covering the NBA Finals. ESPN has not confirmed the news at this time.

Adam Sandler Teams up with Josh Safdie for Netflix Special

Adam Sandler is looking to continue his reign at Netflix. The actor and comedian announced that he will record a second standup special for the streaming giant. The production is part of Sandler’s overall deal with Netflix, which is worth a reported $250 million. While details on the upcoming special are still limited, insiders have confirmed that Sandler is set to reunite with Josh Safdie, who directed Sandler in the critically acclaimed Uncut Gems alongside his brother Benny. It will be Sandler’s first standup special since 2018’s 100% Fresh. 

Bitcoin Continues to Surge, Hovers Around $50K

Just last week, Boardroom’s Michelai Graham broke down Bitcoin‘s rise back over an average of $42,000 in the month of January. Market forces have resulted in the cryptocurrency‘s steady rise well into February. On Monday, Bitcoin eclipsed the $50,000 mark for the first time since 2022. Several analysts point to the recent Bitcoin ETF approval as a primary driver of the corresponding surge in value. Additionally, China has relaxed its crypto regulations, leading to an increase in demand.

Former Spurs Legend Tony Parker to Release Wine

The wine industry has become a popular destination for NBA players – both active and retired – with names like James Harden and Carmelo Anthony boasting their own brands. Time to add former San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker to that list after announcing he will release his first wine in May. More specifically, Parker is launching a rosé from Chateau Saint Laurent, according to Bloomberg. After retiring in 2019, the four-time NBA champion was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023.

Boardroom’s Nick DePaula exclusively talked with Parker last year ahead of him agreeing to a long-term partnership with Adidas.

Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Inks First-look Deal with Warner Bros. Discovery

The Oscars are less than a month away. While Margot Robbie may have been snubbed in the Best Actress category for her dynamic role in Barbie, the film‘s success has Hollywood in a stronghold and excited for her next production. Robbie not only starred in Barbie but also served as one of the film’s producers as part of her production company, LuckyChap. Now, she and her business partners, Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara, have inked a first-look deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. The studio’s co-heads, Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, confirmed the news in a statement, saying, “As we build our theatrical film slate, Warner Bros Discovery continues to invest and commit to working with the greatest partners in front of and behind the camera and LuckyChap is certainly among the very best. We are excited to have Margot, Tom and Josey join our extended family, making movies of all sizes and genres for moviegoers the world over.”

Homefield Apparel Gets Into the NIL Game

Homefield Apparel is known for its vintage college apparel, but the company is entering a new space by announcing its inaugural NIL program on Monday. In the newly launched program, Homefield has partnered with five NIL collectives nationwide — Boilermaker Alliance, Classic City Collective, Florida Victorious, Hoosiers Connect, and Wildcat NIL — representing student-athletes from Purdue, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, and Kansas State, respectively. Per the company’s announcement, Homefield will allocate 10% of sales revenue generated to a specific collective, sharing up to 20% on specified days.

The post JJ Redick to Replace Doc Rivers for ESPN’s NBA Finals Coverage appeared first on Boardroom.

The day before Damian Lillard is set to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers for the first time in a visiting uniform, Adidas hosted its longtime signature athlete at its “Adidas Village” headquarters in northeast Portland. With employees clad in Lillard-logoed hoodies reading “ALWAYS H0ME” across the front, the brand surprised the future Hall of Famer with a first-of-its-kind distinction.

Adidas is officially naming its basketball gym floor The Damian Lillard Court, marking the first time in the brand’s 75-year history that they are naming a company location after an athlete.

“It’s a lot of a great athletes that have been with the brand and that have a lot of accomplishments,” Lillard said at the dedication ceremony. “But I know that something like this is accomplished by who you are, the kind of impact that you have, and how you live your life outside of yourself. The fact that that part of me is being acknowledged on this level is much appreciated.”

After first signing with Adidas as an NBA rookie in 2012, Lillard has gone on to become the Trail Blazers franchise’s all-time leading scorer, a perennial All-Star, an esteemed member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team, and a brand partner behind nine signature sneakers. 

“There’s never been a more loyal athlete or partner for the brand. That’s what makes this moment so special,” said Chris McGuire, Adidas Director of Sports Marketing. “We don’t have another building or court named after an athlete in any of our offices around the world. This is the first time ever.” 

Joined by his parents, siblings, and children — along with lifelong friends from Oakland and his longtime Adidas rep JR Duperrier — Lillard shared a heartfelt message with employees on hand for the ceremony. 

“This is definitely a gesture that I’m moved by,” he said. “I feel the respect, the love, and the appreciation for not just what I’ve been able to do in my career, but how I’ve been able to handle it as a partner and as a person.”

Just before Dame took in the atmosphere of The Damian Lillard Court for the first time, he spoke with Boardroom on his time with the brand, his memories in the gym over the years, and his impact on the Portland community, even from afar in Milwaukee. 

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Nick DePaula: How big of a moment is this for you with Adidas naming the court after you? 

Damian Lillard: It’s a huge moment. You don’t get a court named after you just by performance. It also goes into who you are as a person and how you’re able to lift other people up. I think it’s more about who you are and what you come with, outside of just me as an athlete.

It means a lot to me that Adidas is recognizing me on that level, just because of all of the things that I come with and not just who I am as an athlete. It’s just encouraging me to keep being who I am. 

NDP: I’ve been in the gym when you’re working out with your guy Phil Beckner during the dead of summer. What memories come to mind when you think of your time in that gym? 

DL: I’ve had a lot of memories. Two come to mind. When I was in the Draft, I got picked obviously by Portland, and all of the rookies that signed with Adidas came out to Portland to be introduced to the brand. I was pretty much unknown. Nobody really knew who I was like that. 

We played a pickup game in the gym. I ended up having like 50-something. After the game, JR [Smith] came up to me and was like, “Bro, I didn’t know you was nice like that.” I said, “What you thought?!” [laughs] 

From that point on, it was just a different respect, even with my peers that signed with Adidas. JR, now being one of my good friends, that was the first moment where he realized that I was going to be serious in the NBA. 

Then, just living here in Portland, being here through the season and staying here in the summers with my family. As a young player, there were times where you don’t always want to be in the practice facility. I would try and find gyms to train in, but I wasn’t really known like that. I would come here and work out. We used the gym a lot during the summers. That’s my second memory.

NDP: There’s a third one that sticks out to me, too — your Dame 1 launch event was in the gym and Future was there. 

DL: Getting my first signature shoe was a moment. Even when I came to the event, I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal. When we got there, Future was there, my family was there, there were fans and a whole setup. I still got the videos on my phone. It was just one of those moments, like, “Something is about to kick off.”

NDP: How beneficial was it being in Portland to be able to connect with the product and marketing teams here at Adidas so frequently early on? 

DL: It really helped develop a relationship that you need with a partner. They’d call me and say, “Hey, we want to show you something,” and I’d just get in my car and drive over. Moreso than anything, just being able to do it organically. We’d get to develop individual relationships; you’re always around and people get to see you for who you are on a regular basis. 

Instead of something where I’m popping into town, we have a meeting, and they only get to talk to me in those moments. I might run into dudes at restaurants, run into ’em at the mall, or we’d go out to dinner together. I’d come to Adidas just to kick it with JR, and then I’m there for three hours. It was very helpful for people at the brand to get to know me. 

NDP: What are some of the milestones with Adidas that stick out for you?

DL: Reaching my first signature shoe. When I first entered the Draft, I signed with Aaron Goodwin, and he was like, “You’re going to get a signature shoe.” I said, “You don’t gotta tell me all that.” Once we finally got to that point where we started to design the shoe, reaching that was a major milestone for me because it was one that I didn’t really expect to happen. 

I’ve never been a world traveler. After my rookie year, we went to China, and it was a good experience just seeing how far the fans go, what they appreciate, and how much they know about you, in places that you wouldn’t even think of. 

I became an All-Star the next year and the next year, and we went on a tour again. This time, people knew that I was rapping, and they had my shoes and my jersey everywhere. Those two were milestones that I still think about today, where it’s like, “This was the start of everything that’s happening now.”

NDP: Now that you have the court named after you, what are you looking forward to building with Adidas ahead in the future together? 

DL: The way I view myself is, not just as somebody that, “While he’s playing, he’s going to have fans and people are going to love him,’ and I gotta take advantage of that [during that time]. I see myself as somebody who can be useful and powerful for the brand, even when I’m done playing, because of what I represent. Something like this is a step in that direction. The things that I care about and what I put my time into … it’ll allow the partnership to go beyond my playing career, where I can still have the type of impact that I had as a player. 

NDP: What kind of reception are you expecting tomorrow night? 

DL: I expect it to be a lot of love, honestly. I’ve always had a great relationship with the city and a great relationship with the fans. I don’t see that changing at all. We had a lot of great times, a lot of high moments, and we’ve shared some low moments.

We was always in the fight. We always had sell-out crowds, and I showed up and did what I needed to do, every night. I was never a no-show, whether I played good or I played bad.

In the community, I was present in the city — not just on the floor. That’s why it is what it is when I come here. That’s why this is my home. I expect it to be a lot of love. 

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The post Adidas: Damian Lillard’s Forever Home in Portland appeared first on Boardroom.

The NBA released its list of the top-selling jerseys of the 2023-24 season thus far on Tuesday, and Stephen Curry sits in the No. 1 spot, followed by Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James to round out the top three. Coming in fourth is San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, while Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo wrapped up the top five. Other notable athletes on the NBA Top 15 Jersey Sales list for 2023-24 include Kevin Durant at No. 8, reigning league MVP Joel Embiid at No. 12, and current NBA Finals champion Nikola Jokić in the 14th spot.

Adidas Unveils ‘The Damian Lillard Court’ at Portland Campus Gym

For the first time in company history, Adidas is naming a building on its campus after an athlete. On Tuesday, Three Stripes held a court dedication ceremony to honor Milwaukee Bucks star and Adidas athlete Damian Lillard. “As you know, Damian spent the first 11 years of his career in Portland, building a ‘home’ in the city and setting his roots down with Adidas Basketball for what’s turned into a long and fruitful partnership,” said the brand. Now, whenever the eight-time All-Star returns to Portland, he’ll be “always home.” Adidas signed Lillard ahead of his rookie season in 2012, and together, they have developed eight signature sneakers.

Kristin Juszczyk, NFL Agree to Licensing Deal to Bring Custom Jackets to Masses

After receiving major attention for her custom game-day looks, the NFL and Kristin Juszczyk have reportedly agreed to a licensing deal that will allow her to use official NFL imagery in her designs. Details of the agreement were not yet revealed. Juszczyk, the wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, has had a meteoric rise in popularity thanks to her custom-made apparel she’s designed for the likes of Taylor Swift, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey‘s fiancée Olivia Culpo, and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ wife, Brittany.

Chiefs-Ravens & 49ers-Lions Bring Record Viewership Numbers to CBS, Fox

The Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens made TV history in Sunday’s NFL Playoff battle by attracting more than 55 million viewers, according to CBS, becoming the most-watched AFC Championship Game ever. The game peaked with more than 64 million viewers, CBS says. On the NFC Championship side, which saw the San Francisco 49ers stage a historic comeback win over the Detroit Lions, Fox reported an average of 56.9 million viewers, making it the network’s fourth most-watched non-Super Bowl NFL game ever. Per the league, 120.4 million people tuned in for Championship Sunday, making it the highest total unduplicated crowd since 2016-17.

Megan Thee Stallion Confirms Summer Tour on ‘Good Morning America’

During an appearance on “Good Morning America,” Megan Thee Stallion confirmed that she’ll be on tour this summer to support her forthcoming third studio album. “Oh, we’re having the tour this year. I feel like I’ve never been able to be outside doing my own thing during the summer since, like, 2019. So, this is going to be the first time that I drop an album on time for the summer. I do want to give the hotties the Megan Thee Stallion experience,” said the rapper. Dates and venues haven’t been revealed yet, but the hotties now have something to look forward to when the weather heats up.

Hayley Jones, Sydney Colson, Natasha Cloud Among WNBA Stars Suiting up for Athletes Unlimited

The final roster for the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball season was shared Tuesday, and it features 18 players who finished last year on a WNBA roster as well as 11 more who boast experience in the W at any point. Among those famous faces suiting up next month for the first time are Hayley Jones, Rae Burrell, and Emily Engstler. Returning players include Natasha Cloud, Isabelle Harrison, Lexie Hull, and reigning WNBA champion Sydney Colson. Additionally, AU announced that the WNBA App will stream 18 of 24 games for the league’s third campaign. This marks the second straight year in which WNBA platforms are streaming AU Pro Basketball game action, and the first year AU games will be available to stream for free on the WNBA app.

The post Curry, Tatum, LeBron Top NBA in Jersey Sales Thus Far in 2023-24 appeared first on Boardroom.

On Sep. 11, 2001, Michael Jordan was supposed to announce his return to basketball.

On Sep. 11, 2002, Michael Jordan announced a move no one saw coming.

Having finished his first season outside of the playoffs as an active member of the Washington Wizards, MJ sent the blossoming Rip Hamilton to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for the established Jerry Stackhouse.

On the surface, moving a 23-year-old talent for an active All-Star was a win-now move meant to ramp up a postseason push for MJ’s last season in DC as a player and exec.

Behind the scenes, the intentions were more chess than checkers.

“People don’t understand the Rip Hamilton trade and why Michael did that,” Michael Wilbon told Boardroom. “The Kobe Bryant thing was very real.”

Clearing cap space as tensions rose in Los Angeles, MJ traded away a promising young talent to take on an expiring contract. Making the playoffs was a priority, but building a dynasty in DC was the bigger bet.

The major move was made in hopes of MJ signing his own Air Apparent the following summer.

“When Michael was an executive, Kobe wanted to come to DC when the whole thing was going south in LA,” said Wilbon. “It would’ve changed the story in basketball if Kobe wound up in Washington playing for Michael.”

How Michael Jordan Revived DC & the NBA with Wizards Comeback

ICYMI: In the second chapter of our three-part oral history on MJ’s rise from MVP to owner, Boardroom dives deep into Jordan’s economically explosive first season playing for the Wizards.

Check it out!

In the third and final chapter of this deep-dive oral history, Boardroom breaks down MJ’s final season in DC on the court and across commerce.

Learn how MJ’s run in Washington prepared him for team ownership in Charlotte and almost changed the entire landscape of the NBA.

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Closing Time

Backed by a veteran ensemble, the 2002-03 NBA season would be Michael Jordan’s last hurrah as a hooper.

Turning 40, he played all 82 games — the only Wizard to do so.

Perhaps more impressive? He played 37 minutes a night.

In his Iron Man exit, he averaged 20 points, backed by nearly seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals a night.

Those counting numbers are roughly right on par with what Scottie Barnes, Jalen Williams, or RJ Barrett are each putting up this season in their early 20s.

While talking heads and online memes may debunk his output, those in attendance remember differently.

Kevin Garnett (NBA champion, Hall of Famer, Host of KG Certified): He played 82 games that year. Mike was a motherfucker both times. He was still talking that shit. He was still skilled.

Michael Wilbon (Award-winning Journalist, ESPN analyst): Michael played all 82 at 40 years old. That was the culture. Michael was gonna play 82 games; it was an affront to him if you suggested that he not.

That’s the culture of the league he grew up in and believed in. Bringing that to Washington was a big deal — and I wish they had it subsequently.

Quentin Richardson (NBA veteran, Jordan Brand ambassador, Knuckleheads co-host): He’s 40 then, and I’m 41 now, and I don’t play no basketball. I’m not about to do none of the shit that he was doing.

Paul Pierce (NBA champion, Hall of Famer, co-host of KG Certified): I’ve been out of the league for the last six or seven years. I could give us 10 points in quality minutes.

Darren Rovell (Emmy Award-winning analyst, Sports Business Reporter): I was reporting back then. People dismiss his Wizards career despite scoring more than 20 points per game and having great games.

Brendan Haywood (NBA champion, UNC All-American, NBA TV analyst): He showed all the moves. Michael Jordan’s practices to me were sometimes better than the games because I got to see what went into it. I got to see what made greatness tick.

My second year, Byron Russell was on our team and they had a little rivalry. B Russ used to guard him in practice, and I just remember Mike consistently going at him day after day.

He was approaching practice like B Russ is still playing for the Utah Jazz, and it’s Game 6.

To see that every single day? The phenomenal footwork, the trash talk? He told B Russ, “We’re gonna start calling you ‘The Human Highlight Reel.’ Not because you have any highlights of your own, but because you’re in all of mine.” That was just consistent.

Rovell: I believe that’s where he met LeBron after a game. The fact that he played for the Wizards enabled a new group of people to see him. It enabled someone like LeBron, who was 14 at the time [Jordan retired from the Bulls], to have a different look at him.

People who didn’t get to see him with the Bulls? After someone’s career, they’re appreciated more.

He retired twice already, so it was another chance to see Jordan and how great he was. And it was slightly easier to get tickets than Bulls tickets because they weren’t winning.

Haywood: The Bulls Michael Jordan was better than the Wizards Michael Jordan. But Wizards Michael Jordan was still really, really good. And I got to see every single day why he was that good.

Rovell: Despite the fact that the Wizards weren’t that good, at every single game, celebrities had to be there.

Normally, that follows the line of a team that is great, but he had that type of following when he was playing with the Birmingham Barons — every single game was sold out.

People had gotten used to seeing Jordan in his element whether or not there was a great team around him.

Wilbon: That second year, I had hopes. The East was in between then. Indiana was still good, the Knicks were still good, the Nets with Jason Kidd, and Detroit was bouncing back.

People don’t understand the Rip Hamilton trade and why Michael did that.

Wizards What If?

The 2002-03 Washington Wizards failed to make the playoffs despite All-Star play from MJ and a veteran supporting cast.

Some blame the age and lack of continuity for the inferior ending. Few know the intentions behind switching staff midway into MJ’s Wizard reign.

Wilbon: The whole Rip Hamilton thing happened because he had to clear cap space. That’s what that was about, and I knew that in real time.

When the Lakers were going through that bump in the road, Michael wanted to be poised to take advantage, which is what good executives do.

The Rip Hamilton move happened because of that, plain and simple. He knew he was going to get killed for doing it, but that’s why he was doing it.

The Wizards pulled the plug, but it would’ve changed DC and that franchise.

Courted by his hero amid his ascent and team turmoil, Kobe had suitors in every American city.

Known to text MJ in the middle of the night for hoop advice and touted for going toe-to-toe with the GOAT at every opportunity, Bryant’s pending free agency loomed that last season.

Smartly, MJ looked to clear cap space while the Lakers looked to choose an alpha.

Ultimately, it never happened. However, the alternate reality may have been closer to coming to fruition than most know.

Wilbon: Kobe was coming to DC or wanted to. He talked to Michael all the time, and I knew that in real-time, even if it wasn’t something I could publicly report on. I talked to Kobe.

The Kobe Bryant thing was very real. Very real. Free agency is mysterious to most people, but the NBA free agency is about three markets: Florida and Southern California, and they don’t even go to New York!

Free agents go to a couple of places, and that’s it. But Washington, with Michael owning it, might have changed all that.

There was times I’d do a Lakers game, and after the game, people from [the] media are lined up to go in the locker room. Kobe would sort of wander past me and elbow me in the ribs, lean down, and say, “Would the old man of gotten 40 tonight? Could the old man have stopped me tonight?”

And it was only in that way of complete and udder adoration. He would say it with such joy.

I’ve only told those stories since then so people could get a sense of what they meant to each other.

Jay Williams (Duke National Champion, ESPN Analyst, Businessman): I had a close connection with KB. If Mike had a chance to mold Kobe? I think Kobe would’ve been even more different than he already was.

Kobe was able to do that from afar because he had this relentless nature and studied the techniques and moves. But I think that would’ve been different with Kobe being under his wing. I think Mike would’ve seen it differently and that would’ve escalated Kobe even earlier in his career.

When you’re young, you have a vet that says, “He’s different.” I don’t think Kobe had that right out of the gate, and he would’ve had that with Mike.

Kobe would’ve tried to bust his ass every day. And Michael would’ve tried to bust his ass every day.

Growing up in Philadelphia, Rip Hamilton and Kobe Bryant played AAU basketball together, remaining friends and competitors for decades.

In 2002, the trajectories of each Philly phenom and a looming summer sweepstakes almost changed the course of hoops history.

Wilbon: When Michael was an executive, Kobe wanted to come to DC while things were going south in LA. I’m sure he’s glad it turned out the way it turned out; everybody is except the people in Washington.

But it would’ve changed the story in basketball if Kobe wound up in Washington playing for Michael.

Metta Sandiford-Artest (NBA champion, NBA Defensive Player of the Year): It would’ve changed everything. Kobe would’ve taken over that team. He would’ve listened, and Kobe is already bringing that intensity. Mike would’ve had an opportunity to take his hand off the wheel and give that driver’s seat to Kobe.

Williams: Kobe would’ve not backed down from Michael. Michael wouldn’t have acquiesced, but he was ready to move on to ownership. He would’ve known that the keys to that Ferrari were in good hands.

Artest: Mike worked hard, even as a general manager. Mike still had that player passion in him, even when he was in a suit! If he had Kobe, he would’ve been more relaxed because Kobe would’ve taken that upon himself.

Rachel Nichols (Award-winning Journalist, Host of Headliners): It was a speculation, for sure, and something that everyone couldn’t have been more hopeful about.

That move in itself is such a window inside of MJ. Rip Hamilton was an incredible young talent. He was young but still forming. He saw Jerry Stackhouse, who he knew was a finished product.

Haywood: I wasn’t privy to those conversations. I liked playing with Rip, so I was sad to see him go. He was young, coming into his own and, selfishly? Anytime I set Rip a good screen, I’d get wide open for a dunk because his mid-range game was so cold.

In the end, both Kobe and Rip won championships and remained mentored by Mike.

Rip credits MJ for developing his midrange game that made him a three-time NBA All-Star and NBA champion in Detroit.

Their relationship reigns beyond basketball as Hamilton stands as one of the longest-tenured tentacles of the Jordan Brand family.

Though the Kobe signing never happened in DC, the potential pressure of moving cross country worked well for the Air Apparent.

Staying in Los Angeles, Kobe became the full-time face of the franchise. Bryant went on to win two more championships to take his total to five — just one less than Mike — and made more than $323 million as a Laker.

While the 2002 trade and 2003 would-be summer signing spawn the biggest what-ifs in DC, sliding doors regarding the 2001 NBA Draft also prove interesting.

DC Draft Capital

As legend has it, Michael Jordan desired to draft Duke phenom Jay Williams in 2001, hoping he’d declare early so the Wizards could take him first overall.

Months after taking the front office job in DC, Jordan met Williams when he was beginning to blossom as a Blue Devil great.

Williams: My first real encounter with Mike was right before my sophomore year of college. I got invited to his Flight Camp out in Santa Barabra.

I was nervous to meet him because I’m a fucking Dukie! That’s how he talked to me! But you could tell there was love and camaraderie there because I was super competitive. I think that was the bridge that allowed us to build a relationship.

That was the year I blew up — Flight Camp, USA Basketball, and staying in the gym. Mike inspired me. In order to be different, I have to act different — every single day. I started getting up 700 made shots every single day. That became the barometer of my work ethic … from him.

One week in Santa Barbra with MJ ignited a run from the Tobacco Road rival like none other.

Williams: In USA Basketball, I went against Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, and Ray Allen. I not only held my own; I excelled. So, going into my sophomore year, I felt like I was him. If I can do it against GP or Jason Kidd in their prime? Then, no one in college could stop me.

That set the tone for my sophomore year: winning the chip, winning the National Player of the Year award, having the chance to leave school early, and potentially being drafted by the Washington Wizards? You can’t make that up.

Notably, Williams returned to Durham for his senior season, winning Naismith Player of the Year and going No. 2 overall to the Chicago Bulls in 2002.

While he had a fan in MJ, he had unfinished business back at Cameron Indoor Arena.

Williams: This was during a different time in the Duke era. We had just come off ’99 when there was a mass exodus. You didn’t have a consistent nature of players leaving school early. Retrospectively? In today’s game, I would’ve left after a sophomore when we won the chip.

But at the same time, what it did for my brand coming back to school? I was on the cover of every magazine. I was Preseason Player of the Year. Every one of our games was on national TV.

If I was coming back to a team where I was the only guy? That would have been one thing. But I was coming back to a team with Mike Dunleavy, Carlos Boozer, Chris Duhon, and Dahntay Jones. We were absolutely loaded.

Though Williams was high on MJ’s draft board, another All-Star akin to Kobe almost changed the course of DC.

Wilbon: Michael flew Pau Gasol in and worked him out before the draft. Nobody had taken a foreign-born player or a high school guy with the first pick. But it wasn’t automatic that year, the one time the Wizards got the first pick.

Think of how great he would’ve been in the triangle. And he was, obviously.

Williams: Pau would’ve been great. As a scoring guard? The triangle wasn’t built for me to succeed.

But for wings and bigs? The triangle is set for them to succeed with the amount of times they touch [the ball] in the pinch post and the actions that come out of it. It’s perfectly set.

Having Pau Gasol coming from Europe? A lot of guys coming from Europe have basketball IQs that are so advanced. It would’ve been perfectly suited for him.

Playing along Mike, who masterminded it? That would’ve leveraged Pau very quickly.

The Business Behind Michael Jordan’s Front Office Ascent

From A-list pickup runs to driving DC commerce, catch up with Part 1 of Boardroom’s three-part oral history of MJ’s journey from NBA champion to NBA owner.

Check it out!

Wilbon: I remember Michael telling me one time, “Man, this kid from Spain…” I go, “The kid from Spain who looked like Big Bird at the time?” He was like, “Yeah, he’s incredible. He’s very talented.” You go back to knowing what you know now.

Those first few years for Pau weren’t all kisses and candy, but Memphis won 50 games. They were a playoff team. I’m a big Pau guy. It could’ve been so different.

There are a couple of ifs on that one. Jay Williams is my dear friend, but he should’ve taken Pau Gasol instead of Kwame.

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Williams: I was already on course to graduate from Duke in three years and would be the first basketball player to ever do that. But trust me, I think about that moment and the trajectory of my career.

I paid attention to the Wizards and Mike. Going back to school, I started reaching out to a lot of powerful alumni and started to kind of create my own board. Dan Levington was on my board; he did the IPO for Starbucks with Howard Schultz. I was connecting on a very high level. But it was my last year in school, so I had to pay attention to who the worst teams in the league were and where these lottery balls were going.

I wanted to see if I could still go back to Washington or if I’d end up somewhere else.

I got drafted by the Bulls, had Mike’s locker, and had my accident. I wonder what my career would’ve been like if I was under his tutelage and left school early. They took Kwame Brown that year, but I didn’t think there was any doubt that I would’ve been the first pick in that draft going to DC.

Heading into the 2001 NBA Draft, the rising tide of high school standouts far surpassed that of international prospects regarding resumes and public opinion.

Put into an impossible situation, Brown struggled with early expectations but managed to become a valuable veteran, solid starter, and reputable role player throughout his 12-year NBA career.

Brown played for seven franchises, with his longest stint coming in DC.

Regardless of expectations, Kwame changed the life of his family and likely played a role in the NBA’s implementation of the age limit. Over his career, he made over $64 million.

Wilbon: Kwame? The league wasn’t ready for it yet. People don’t realize that Kevin Garnett and Kobe were drafted a little lower in the first round. I remember Doug Collins saying, “He’s still got acne. He’s like my kid.”

They were shaking their heads at the time because nobody was ready for him to be plug and play; there was zero chance of that, and that’s still too bad. I still blame the Wizards for that.

Nichols: The Kwame Brown decision stands out as the worst mistake MJ made as an executive, but he did have some incredible physical gifts, and he was projected by draft experts as a top-three pick.

MJ didn’t pluck him out of nowhere; there were plenty of basketball experts who thought he would succeed in the NBA.

The draft is a dicey business. If you end up with a 50% success rate in the draft, you’re a good executive. It’s tough.

That’s a decision I know, for a fact, he would love to have back.

Passing the Torch

On April 16, 2003, Michael Jordan played his last NBA game.

The very next day, he hosted the nation’s top talent at the Jordan Brand Classic at the MCI Center.

It was one of many moves Mike made in DC to grow the game, though most were less publicized.

Nyrik Lee (Former Wizards intern, Marketing Director at The Museum DC): Around that time, the Wizards as an organization made an effort to step up their community relations at the rec centers and in the inner city. Just knowing that the GOAT was in your backyard was enough for everybody.

Every gym was more competitive because the one that everybody looks to was here.

We knew from a national perspective that the world was looking at the area because Mike was playing here. So good or bad? Media attention was going to be here. That means it goes to college players and high school athletes.

We’ve always had a rich hoop scene, but Mike being here took the top off to look at us because they had to come here because of him. Now, the media can check out a game at a high school gym because they’re here so much to cover Mike.

The national media being here more brought a whole lot of attention to what was going on here from a grassroots level.

Offering his answer to the McDonald’s All-American Game, the Jordan Brand Classic gave fans from across DC the chance to see the next generation of basketball’s best.

The 2003 offering was both elaborate and prophetic, hosting the same kid from Akron who appeared at Hoops Chicago amid MJ’s private runs as only an underclassman.

In front of MJ at the MCI, an 18-year-old LeBron James dropped 34 points, grabbed 12 boards, and dished out six assists.

Heading into the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery, the Wizards had a 1.4% chance of landing the No. 1 Pick and scooping James.

Instead, they fell to No. 10, selecting Jarvis Hayes and missing out on LeBron or a chance at Carmelo Anthony or Dwyane Wade in the top five.

In due time, both Melo and Wade did business with MJ as Air Jordan athletes. All the while, LeBron remained loved by MJ just the same.

Wilbon: People don’t realize how much LeBron loves basketball. We could argue GOAT shit all we want, but LeBron loves Michael! And vice versa!

There’s been times I picked up the phone, and there’s been something nationally, and Mike’s said, “Get people off LeBron. What’s that about? Leave that kid alone.”

Particularly when he was younger, people don’t realize that all these icons followed Jordan more closely than almost all the rest of us — with real stakes!

Weeks after winning co-MVP at the Jordan Brand Classic, LeBron James signed a record-setting $90 million deal with Nike and declared for the NBA Draft.

In that same span, the Wizards made a move just as newsworthy.

Exit Wounds

In MJ’s two seasons on the court in DC, the Wizards rose to the top three in NBA attendance, including a franchise-record streak of 82 straight home sellouts.

On May 7, 2003, Abe Pollin fired Michael Jordan as team president.

“I agonized over it for days and nights, thinking, ‘What is it that I have to do?'” Pollin told the AP in October 2003. “I’m going to think very hard about these decisions and make the best decisions that I think are best for the franchise.”

Once departed, the team dropped to 21st in fanfare, never touching the top five since.

Haywood: It was shocking. We all thought that once Mike retired, he was going back into that management role. It was a mixed bag of emotions because this is Jordan, and you don’t want to see him done wrong in that aspect.

Certain things were promised to him, and those promises weren’t kept.

Then we start seeing stories in the paper that make it seem like the young guys don’t want Jordan around. You see how they’re trying to put the poison pill in the media.

I saw that as a young player, like, “They would do this to Michael Jordan.” Because the young guys weren’t even in town, who are you talking to?

Brendan Haywood and Kwame Brown can’t run Michael Jordan out of town. This is crazy.

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Wilbon: He should’ve been running the franchise in the capital of the United States. Every time I drive by that building, I think about how differently it should’ve worked out. It should’ve happened.

Haywood: I started reading the articles, and to see how Mike was pushed out the door was the cold business part of the game. Obviously, there was a riff between him and Abe Pollin. They shut that door and never let him back in.

On opening night months after MJ’s exit, free agent signee Gilbert Arenas topped all Wizards at an annual salary of $8.5 million.

Michael Jordan’s reported severance package was valued at $10 million — almost enough to pay the entire Wizards bench.

Reportedly, MJ threw away the check.

In 2004, his first year in decades not tied in some shape or fashion to an NBA franchise sans his baseball break, Michael Jordan made $35 million in endorsements alone.

For reference, that’s more than Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Allen Iverson made on the court that NBA season.

Even after an ugly exit in DC, Mike was still the most marketable man in basketball.

David Falk (Legendary Agent): Long after he retired, he still had Hanes, he still had Gatorade, and he still had Nike. They were very, very long-term deals. When I made the deals, I never expected he would play competitive basketball for the duration of the deals, and I told that to the companies.

It didn’t matter; his popularity had endured. He was more popular when he retired than most players were at the most successful part of their active careers — and still is.

Garnett: Mike made the league a trillion, and he made Mike a trillion.

Williams: It all started with his main business, which was on the court. His dedication and attention to detail really translated to how he handled a lot of his other stuff. That set the foundation.

Falk: Michael’s unique. There’s no other player who compares to Michael in terms of marketability. I’m not saying there never will be, but there’s never been another player who’s enjoyed his success.

He’s got the Midas touch; whatever he touches turns to gold. He’s just a very astute businessman. Not only is he a great basketball player and an amazing person, but he’s a very astute businessman.

It wouldn’t be until the 2019-20 NBA Season that any Washington Wizard would make more money in annual NBA salary than MJ made off endorsements the year he left DC.

Still, the appetite for MJ and disappointment around the ending lingered.

Lee: I was in the office seeing fan mail coming … two years later! People were sending mail just hoping somebody read their letter to Michael Jordan.

Nichols: The problem is that he was in no way nearly as dominant as an executive or talent evaluator as a player.

Michael Jordan’s talent evaluation with the Bulls was not his strength. And by the way, that’s OK! You’re Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player of all time; you don’t have to be one of the greatest talent evaluators of all time.

But if you go into a job where all you do is talent evaluation and management, that’s going to be a problem, and that was a problem with the Wizards.

Wilbon: The fact that it didn’t work? God, it makes me sick to this day because it should have.

Michael was going to run a team; we see that with Charlotte, and Washington is a much greater market than Charlotte. Washington is still untapped as a basketball place.

Hive Mind

In January 1999, Michael Jordan left the game of basketball on top.

In January 2000, he returned to it in a new city and new suite.

By October 2001, the two worlds collided in Wilmington as he came back to basketball while operating as an exec.

Years later, in 2006, all roads converged in Charlotte — just 200 miles away from the site of that first Wizards training camp.

“I’m thrilled to have my friend, Michael Jordan, join me in my business and sports pursuits,” Bobcats owner Bob Johnson said at the time in a release.

Purchasing a minority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats — later the Charlotte Hornets — from an old friend in DC, Mike was back in the ownership game only three years after departing from DC.

Rovell: He had amazing timing. I think he had a hard time believing he could be a general manager because he’s so good and so competitive that he couldn’t fairly evaluate talent without being very critical.

So, ownership was natural. Because he was Michael Jordan, he had to pay an incontestable amount down to get the piece that he got from Bob Johnson. So, he immediately used his name to essentially finance a purchase.

Haywood: Mike was a really good owner. I know that team success wasn’t always there, but you could tell he wanted to win.

He was around, and he was present. Sometimes, he’d be in the training room having conversations with guys trying to get them to understand certain things about business and basketball.

From 2006 to 2010, MJ served as a minority owner in Charlotte and business partner to billionaire Bob Johnson.

“I not only respect Michael for his basketball knowledge and expertise,” said Johnson. “But also for his business skills, particularly in branding and marketing.”

“I’m excited to join Bob and invest alongside one of the most astute businessmen I know,” Jordan said at the time.

“I am also looking forward to providing my advice, where needed, to Bobcats’ management in order to put the best possible team on the court,” Jordan said.

After building both fan bases, franchises, and economies in Chicago and DC, Mike was suddenly taking the bull by the horns in Charlotte.

“Our joint venture will allow Michael to invest in private equity, hedge funds, financial services, real estate, film production, and other business interests that my holding company is pursuing,” said Johnson.

Haywood: Everybody always wanted to know, ‘What’s Mike like? What’s his work habits like? Tell me your best Mike story.’ He’s the best player to ever do it, he’s mesmerizing.

He’s the first player to truly be branded in the correct way that made him a sports icon. So, there was always a thousand questions about who Michael Jordan was and what he was doing. I’d tell them the stories I could and keep it at that.

Artest: I would’ve loved to play for Michael Jordan. He’d of probably traded me in a week because I was more stubborn then. He would’ve loved me or had to have gotten rid of me.

If Mike would’ve called me? For sure. Imagine winning a title and playing for MJ. As a kid, that’s things you dream of.

Haywood: He didn’t like losing. Things didn’t work out in Charlotte, but it wasn’t because Mike didn’t care.

When I was playing for Charlotte, there were some dark days because the team wasn’t that good. But he was still around, lending his expertise. At the end of the day, you could tell he still really cared.

After four years, MJ was in pole position to own the Bobcats outright.

In 2010, Michael Jordan bought Bob Johnson’s Bobcats franchise for $275 million.

In 2014, he rebranded the team to its original Hornets hues and nickname.

Six years later, MJ used his equity in Charlotte to not only own the Hornets but also purchase a stake in Richard Petty Motorsports. Teaming with Denny Hamlin, Jordan became a team owner in NASCAR through 23XI Racing.

Located just outside of Charlotte, it’s a big flex for the North Carolina native who used to pull up to private pick-up runs in Chicago matching sports cars to his outfits.

Wilbon: This was going to be his second professional life, which it has been. And we’ve seen Michael in other stuff like racing, whether it was motocross or now high stakes with Bubba Wallace and Denny.

I called him to congratulate him when they won last year, and I couldn’t believe that the phone call had evolved to this place where it’s now racing! But that was not foreign to me because I could see the connection. I’d covered Joe Gibbs, and we had come back he did racing.

Today, Michael Jordan is an icon in sports and business said to be worth $3 billion.

Said to have made Chicago a trillion dollars and brought billions to downtown DC, Mike made good on his investment in Charlotte by selling his share of the Hornets for $3 billion in 2023.

His Hornets sale has offered an ownership lane for those trying to follow his footsteps and set out a blueprint for ballers looking to buy, build, and sell teams.

It’s a testament to the GOAT, not just in the NBA but in regards to ROI.

Rovell: How he did what he did — structured what he did — and how he did it? Eventually, owning the team at the valuation of $275 million at the time and getting in and seeing it grow?

The amazing thing is that it’s possible that he’ll make more from the sale of the Hornets than he will from the Jordan Brand over his lifetime. Perfect timing.

Williams: Frankly? He set the whole template for me. Understanding the story of how his mom helped him with Nike and hearing that story at a young age? It made me think about building enterprise value.

Before I had my accident, everything I wanted to do was around realizing basketball was my platform to build a portfolio company. Mike was the first to do that.

To this day, the Jordan run in Washington, DC, as part owner, president of basketball operations, and starting shooting guard for the Washington Wizards is met with more jeers than cheers.

It’s an asterisk in a spotless resume adorned by NBA championships, scoring titles, MVP trophies, and a billion-dollar brand built under Nike.

“Everyone is going to look at the short-term,” Jordan told The Washington Post in 2003. “People won’t understand.”

While his squads in DC failed to make the playoffs, MJ never failed to see the opportunities his competitive nature brought him.

“For me, I’m going to look back and say it was fun,” Jordan continued. “It was fun and something no other general manager or president of basketball operations could do. I got a chance to see some old things I used to see, some new things I’d never seen, some young talent, some old talent, so I’m satisfied.”

The “satisfying” stint in Washington built a nightlife economy in the nation’s capital. It set MJ up for full ownership in both basketball and racing, appeasing a competitive thirst that neither Nike royalties nor Gatorade residuals could ever fully quench in “retirement.“

Wilbon: The level of competition? It’s his life. The nuances, the finer points? He understands competition probably better than anybody out there with the exception of those that are also doing it at the highest level.

Howard White (Vice President of Jordan Brand): Everybody has a dream, everybody has a goal, but when you’ve fallen that 50th time and your mouth is full of dirt and dust, you can hardly breathe, and your eyes are crying? You still work hard, but that dream dies.

It’s that one that’s willing to get up for the 51st, the 70th, and 80th, and that drive still permeates them. That dream doesn’t go away. Those are the people that people need to follow.

Like MJ says on that poster, “I’ve failed over and over again, and that is why I succeed.”

Larry Miller (Chairman of Jordan Brand): People a lot of times don’t understand how great of a businessman MJ is.

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The post Why Michael Jordan’s Wizards Run Set Him Up For Billions in Charlotte appeared first on Boardroom.

Just one day after parting ways with Adrian Griffin, the Milwaukee Bucks and Doc Rivers have agreed to a deal to make Rivers their new head coach, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Rivers takes over a 30-13 Bucks team sitting 3.5 games behind the Boston Celtics in second place in the Eastern Conference. Rivers has previously coached the Orlando Magic, Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, and Philadelphia 76ers, winning a title with Boston in 2008. Rivers has not experienced a losing record since 2007, making his streak the fourth-best in NBA history behind Gregg Popovich, Phil Jackson, and Pat Riley.

TikTok is Latest Tech Company Hit by Layoffs, Cuts Roughly 60 Jobs

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The post Doc Rivers Reportedly Replacing Adrian Griffin as Bucks Head Coach appeared first on Boardroom.

In the summer of 2001, all eyes were on Kwame Brown, the first high school prospect ever to be selected first overall in the NBA Draft.

Across the Association and around DC, fans had high hopes for the teen talent taken by the struggling Washington Wizards.

While the world knew Kwame would be playing for Michael Jordan, only a handful of insiders knew he’d be playing with Michael Jordan.

“The hope around the team was so palpable,” Rachel Nichols told Boardroom. “DC is a city that is just waiting for basketball success.”

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Playing private pickup games with Jamal Crawford and Antoine Walker in front of Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Michael Jordan’s covert comeback to the NBA was taking place behind the scenes at Hoops Chicago.

Ahead of the 2001-02 NBA season, the newly-named Wizards president of basketball operations and part owner was about to take on another title: starting shooting guard.

Over the last three years, Boardroom has spoken to teammates, peers, and analysts who were in the mix during Jordan’s DC days.

The Business Behind MJ’s Front Office Ascent

Part 1 of Boardroom’s oral history starts at the beginning with Mike’s 1999 retirement and star-studded comeback training sessions.

Catch up!

In Part 2 of Boardroom’s three-part oral history of MJ’s rise from MVP to owner, we dive deep into the two seasons Jordan suited up in a jersey for the Wizards.

While the Iron Man endurance and SportsCenter highlights are well known, the backstory behind the announcement and the civic explosion in downtown DC are lesser known.

Editor’s note: Interviews may have been edited for length or clarity.

I’m Back — Again

Silently, in the summer of 2001, Michael Jordan was working daily with basketball’s best to turn back the clock.

38 years of age and already out of the NBA for three whole seasons, MJ hit the gym hard with famed trainer Tim Grover and an incredibly competitive cast of All-Star starters, rising rookies, and revered veterans.

While word traveled fast, even in the era before social media, no one truly knew his Washington Wizards comeback would be official until it came out of the GOAT’s mouth.

The table was set to address the press until disaster struck.

Darren Rovell (Emmy Award-winning analyst, Sports Business Reporter): Jordan was supposed to come back on Sept. 11. I remember the day because I did a piece on the Business of Michael Jordan. I was in New York that day.

Michael Wilbon (Award-winning Journalist, ESPN analyst): It was gonna be 9/11. I wasn’t in town, but I remember him calling me and saying, “Hey, you know I can’t do this now. It’s gotta wait, and we’ve gotta push this back. We’ve gotta wait until it’s the appropriate time.”

Pivoting in respect to the tragedy, MJ announced his official comeback on Oct. 1, 2001.

Inspired by Mario Lemieux, Jordan addressed the media at the MCI Center, discussing how his pick-up play during the summer secured his confidence that he could compete at this level.

“I’m gonna have total confidence once I step on the basketball court that I can do all the things that I’m capable of doing,” Jordan told the press.

“Mentally, in terms of playing the game at the highest level? I’m going to be totally confident,” Jordan said.

Famously, Michael Jordan played his last season in Chicago for a then-record-setting single-season salary of $33.1 million.

Respectfully, he took a playing pay cut all the way down to just over $1 million a year to suit up in DC.

All of his playing salary was donated to 9/11 relief.

On the court, MJ was set up to make less money in base playing salary than he had since 1988. Off the court, he was winning regarding endorsements and the value he was building in DC.

The NBA, the nation, and the nation’s capital were all winning and cashing in the same.

Wilbon: There was a delay, not only because of what happened but because he last signed a contract where he did not sign the group licensing agreement.

You couldn’t put him in video games, so they had to figure that out, and that’s why he couldn’t come back immediately.

Rovell: He had partners that could activate him again, like Hanes and Gatorade. Obviously, it’s harder to activate an athlete that’s not active and it allowed him to redo deals.

He signed Gatorade in 1991, so it allowed him to redo long-term deals. He wouldn’t sign a deal that was less than 10 years, so it created long-term deals.

If you wanted him, you had to sign him to a big deal. It extended his endorsement life for sure.

Rachel Nichols (Award-winning Journalist, Host of Headliners): The hope around the team was so palpable. DC is a city that is just waiting for basketball success. This is a city that is so primed to love and support an NBA team culturally.

People were so eager to have a team worthy of their love and affection for the game. Every game was sold out.

As soon as he returned to play they threw Washington on the national television schedule after barely being there.

Brendan Haywood (NBA champion, UNC All-American, NBA TV analyst): I got drafted by the Cavaliers, traded to Orlando, and went through summer league with the Magic. Grant Hill was on the Magic and let me know if I needed a car or anything, he had me taken care of.

The next thing I know, I get this call: “Yo, you’re traded to DC. You’re gonna get a chance to play with Michael Jordan.”

I had my heart set on Orlando, but I’m about to play with Michael Jordan? That was surreal because, as a kid, I grew up watching him, and now I’m getting a chance to play with the best of all time.

The training camp was in Wilmington.

Wilbon: I remember going, “Oh my God, I gotta be in Wilmington!”

While Washington, DC, was quickly becoming the center of the NBA universe, Wilmington, NC, was the first stop on the comeback tour.

Taking the team partially owned to his hometown of less than 100,000 residents, the city swelled as media from around the country and the world descended on coastal North Carolina.

Whether from Paris or Tokyo, New York or LA, everyone with a mic, camera, or recorder everyone was willing to trek to Wilmington to see what Michael Jordan’s new-look Wizards were all about.

Media vets and NBA rookies soon found out.

Haywood: From Day 1 at training camp, he was ratcheting it up a level. Back then? Training camp was different; you really played.

It was a lot of scrimmaging, and Mike wanted to win everything — and he was talking to you while he was winning everything. You wanted to win because he was talking. “It’s going to be like this all day!”

In Doug Collins’ scrimmages, if you lose, you’ve got to run. So not only is Mike talking to you during scrimmages but while you’re running suicides? “Better get your track shoes on! You’re gonna be running every scrimmage if you’re not on my team.”

That’s just Mike. The competitiveness stood out from Day 1. I’ve never been around anyone that competitive at everything.

In Wilmington, the teammates and the media were feeling the fire from MJ.

Back in DC and around the NBA, fans and peers felt the same rush.

Nichols: The fact that Michael Jordan, of all people, was going to be a part of it? It was intoxicating.

Kevin Garnett (NBA champion, Hall of Famer, Host of KG Certified): When he came back? I wasn’t shocked, but I knew it would make the league hot. The Mike effect is a real effect.

It was great for the league because I think he wanted to see where he aligned with some of the younger stars. I thought it was great.

Haywood: The thing that stands out most to me is the practices. Seeing his approach to practice every day? I remember calling one of my friends and saying, “I see why he’s the greatest. He puts so much into this that when he gets on the court? He’s made the play a thousand times in practice.”

Nichols: To a fan, Michael Jordan was literal magic appearing on your court. The fact that he was going to do that in Washington, DC, was mind-blowing.

As media members from all over the world applied for training camp credentials, fans from DC and beyond bought tickets at an unruly rate.

Leaks of a possible MJ comeback had fans lining up at the box office in DC a day before tickets went on sale.

Keep in mind: The Wizards won only 19 games the previous season.

Around the NBA, road games against Washington sold out rapidly.

Commissioner David Stern phoned Lakers coach Phil Jackson to let him know he’d be skipping Ring Night at Staples Center to catch MJ’s Wizards debut in Madison Square Garden.

Rovell: I was in Chicago in ’96, ’97, and ’98, so I know how hard it was to get a ticket. The Wizards provided an opportunity that was a little easier.

The cost of the Wizards on the road would be similar to a ticket to see the best team in basketball just to see Jordan alone. And people really believed it’d be the last time they’d see him.

Nichols: It had a huge effect the entire time he played for them. Even when they were losing, even when his knee hurt, even when he was on the bench. People were devoted to being in the same room he was.

Haywood: The expectations were crazy. Even though we were a young team and just had the No. 1 pick … but just because Mike was there, people automatically thought we were going to be a playoff team.

The expectations off the jump were this is going to be a playoff team because we had Michael Jordan.

Every game was a movie. Games sold out. For me, I’m from Carolina, where all our games are sold out! But the guys from last year were like, “Nah, this ain’t how it used to be. You used to be able to walk down and sit courtside.”

Now, we’ve got nationally televised games. The Wizards were never on TV before that. Now, the games are not just sold out at home but on the road. It’s insane.

The Crowned Hero Live From Ground Zero

As alluded to, that first road game was the NBA season opener: Michael Jordan’s Washington Wizards against the New York Knicks in MSG.

Appearing at the New York Stock Exchange that morning and bowing for that night’s National Anthem with the American flag in his hands, emotions, and stakes were high for all involved.

The nationally televised outing was taking place just miles from where the World Trade Center was struck only weeks prior, with members of the US military and NYFD on court.

Among those in attendance were Stern, Spike Lee, Chris Rock, and countless other A-list attendees. Mike led the lowly Wizards in scoring, losing by a single basket to the loaded Knicks.

Though the momentum mounted on that emotional opening night, it toured the country for two years straight.

Metta Sandiford-Artest (NBA champion, NBA Defensive Player of the Year): His first year back, he played very well. He gave us 40 one day.

Garnett: He came back like cooked coke.

Sam Cassell (NBA champion, Boston Celtics assistant coach): We were trying to beat him! Michael Jordan beat you so much with the Bulls that if we got any opportunity to beat him? I don’t care who he was playing for. You still tried to beat him because he was so competitive.

Haywood: Competitive, competitive, competitive. The first thing you get is that Mike is so competitive.

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Quentin Richardson (NBA veteran, Jordan Brand ambassador, Knuckleheads co-host): For me, when he came back was another dream fulfilled. I had played against him since my freshman year of college and had played against him a million times, but this was my chance to play against him on an NBA court.

Garnett: That motherfucker took that shit personally. He came out one time and shot that motherfucker so high that I jumped and was like, “Man, I can’t even get that.” He was talking crazy.

Paul Pierce (NBA champion, Hall of Famer, co-host of KG Certified): He still was giving buckets to the young kids.

Cassell: He was a bad boy. He was special.

Pierce: He was in his 40s, averaging 23 [points per game]. Mike gave me 32. I had to go back at Mike.

Artest: I was always trying to lock up Mike because I idolized him, which was really hard to do.

Garnett: I had to guard that motherfucker, and he gave us 40. And I got like 38 of that shit! He was two-dribbling, and Flip Saunders was like, “You’re the only one that can guard him.” I wasn’t tripping.

But Mike? He was like, “Too slow, ho!” They weren’t even in the triangle, and he was making it up as he was doing it.

Richardson: It was just another confirmation that he’s still a killer. He gave you glimpses all year, whether it was 50 or a game-winner.

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As alluded to, 50 points — or rather 51 — happened that first year back.

In December 2001, the Wizards were in the midst of a nine-game winning streak — the longest stretch of consecutive wins since they won it all as the Bullets back in 1979.

Sure enough, the Charlotte Hornets came into DC to snap it before they could hit ten in a row. The next night, the Indiana Pacers came to town to play spoiler, beating MJ in his own house by 27 points.

To make matters worse? Mike only scored six points — the first time ending in single digits since 1986.

Quickly, the press started to ask if the wheels were falling off.

Even faster, he answered, exploding for a season-high 51 points against the Hornets.

Baron Davis (2x NBA All-Star, Tech & Media Entrepreneur): It happened so fast. He had like 14 points in the first two minutes. He had like 25 in the first quarter.

You just fall in the trance of watching your teammate in a one-on-one battle with Michael Jordan. It’s like, “Damn, dude, that’s what it looks like!”

The coach calls a timeout and asks why you’re not helping, and it’s like, “Damn, dog that’s Michael Jordan!” I’m just sitting here watching! And then the same thing happened to me.

I finally got to see it and really get it. He was older then, but he just had a crazy ass motor. He knew how to score and get to his money.

The next month, the old man started the new year with the same game.

Playing his old franchise, the Chicago Bulls, for the first time as an opponent, Michael Jordan made history not once but twice.

Artest: He hit his 30,000th point against me. I’m really prideful on defense, and I’m like, “Damn, I’m about to be on a photo for the rest of my life with MJ getting 30,000 points on me.”

So I fouled him, and before he even shot the free throw, I punched the scorer’s table.

I was pissed, and it made a loud sound. I see MJ look at me because the sound was loud, and I’m like, “Oh shit, you just embarrassed yourself.”

The accolade was important, but a win mattered more.

Still fighting for seeding, the Wizards needed a W, and the Bulls were bottom of the barrel.

With 24 seconds left in the fourth quarter of a tight game, MJ went to his bread-and-butter midrange fadeaway.

All the sessions at Hoops Chicago paid off for a young Ron Artest as he blocked what would’ve been a big bucket.

In the blink of an eye, a bigger block happened.

Haywood: That Ron Mercer play always sticks with me. You’re almost 40 years old, and you hustle like that? Mike had got a shot blocked, and it had him ticked.

He catches Ron Mercer’s shot against the glass with two hands.

Most people would be over the moon over that type of play, but he expected to do that.

If you pan to the bench, we’re all over there going crazy. But that’s just Mike being Mike.

Artest: Mike was a great defender. Mike might be [one of the] top two wing defenders of all time.

That’s what really inspired me. I watched Mike’s defense more than his offense. I’d watch Mike’s feet and how he denied the post. Mike locked a lot of people up.

The Wizards won, with MJ’s two-handed snatch block making the rounds on SportsCenter even more than his 30,000th point.

He defeated his old team and put the league on notice. The MCI Center was the new home of Michael Jordan, no longer just selling out but having fans on the edge of their seat.

Richardson: I remember seeing it, then I would just laugh. It was ridiculous, and he even looked at him. This was just another instance of showing it.

It was Mike, that’s the GOAT and that’s just what he does. It was sick.

Haywood: This is when I knew Michael Jordan was a next-level superstar. After the games, I’d see the stars I just played against lined up outside the locker room with gear to get signed like fans.

That’s crazy to me because you weren’t used to seeing that aspect of the game.

You were just competing, and now you’re waiting outside to get some shoes signed? This was before the jersey swap stuff; this was not done in 2001.

Doing Numbers

From 2001 to 2003, fans across the nation were swapping cold, hard cash for Michael Jordan jerseys.

In MJ’s second season in DC, his No. 23 Wizards jersey was the fourth highest-selling tank top across the Association, bested by only Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, and Tracy McGrady.

Around Washington, DC, No. 23 was still No. 1.

Nyrik Lee (Former Wizards intern, Marketing Director at The Museum DC): It was booming. At the time, I worked at Head to Head Sports. There were about eight or nine of them in the area, and I worked with a guy named Kyle Kemp, who was the owner, and I was his manager at the busiest location.

I saw firsthand the amount of jerseys sold. When they did that Bullets one? We sold so much Wizards apparel — period.

When MJ previously retired in 1999, it was said that the NBA made 20% of its revenue from licensing fees.

Ahead of his 1984 NBA arrival, the league made roughly $44 million off of merchandise. By the time MJ won his first ring, that number hit $1.56 billion.

By the time Mike won his fourth, fifth, and sixth rings, that number eclipsed $3 billion annually.

Make no mistake, the 2002 Wizards were not the 1996 Bulls.

However, for two straight seasons, the Michael Jordan effect made NBA merchandise sales go crazy, helping the league revenue from apparel come closer to the days of Jordan’s dominance.

The league won with more exposure and sales worldwide. Locally, it made the Wizards bankable back at home base.

Lee: Jordan made the merchandise an easy sale to the point where if we didn’t have Mike, they’d buy anybody on the team. I remember selling a Laron Profit jersey. Whoever was on the mob that we had? They were buying it.

The Bullets and Wizards Mike jersey was damn near impossible to keep on the shelves. We sold a lot of Wizards products around that time.

That Bullets authentic Michael Jordan jersey was one of the hottest and hardest things to get your hands on. People started bootlegging it because they only did it for one year, and everybody couldn’t get it.

The swingmans were selling out, the authentics were selling out, and the replicas were selling out.

Capital Investment

If you are judging by the final standings, the 2001-02 Washington Wizards were not a success.

Despite All-Star play from Jordan, the team finished below .500 and missed the playoffs.

Inside the MCI Center, the team still sold out all 41 home games.

Just outside of the MCI Center, the Jordan effect proved even stronger than tickets, jerseys, and popcorn sales.

Cassell: That arena was packed every night. Downtown DC? The businesses, the restaurants, and the nightlife were better because Jordan was there.

Wilbon: I was writing for the Washington Post then and had broken the story that he was coming to DC. The MCI Arena was only a few years old, and it was the centerpiece of downtown DC’s civic renovation.

Lee: It developed everything around there. They had just got into the MCI Center in 1998. I was at the first game, but when Mike comes some years later? His presence had all types of restaurants opening out there.

Wilbon: It was a scene and largely because the Wizards mattered. That whole 7th Street area changed dramatically overnight.

Downtown Washington is now terrific. But anybody who thinks that didn’t start with Michael coming there doesn’t know what they’re talking about.

Lee: It made Chinatown in DC a thing. It made the local economy jump. Ticket sales? Every night was a sellout because everybody was trying to see Mike. It boomed everything.

When Michael Jordan officially arrived in DC as a part owner in 2000, the city had just begun its $300 million economic development plan, the 2000 DC Downtown Action Agenda.

By the time MJ was in DC as a player, the locale was on the up-and-up regarding resources but still without a main attraction.

For 82 nights in two years, every restaurant ate off the Jordan and the Wizards selling out games.

Wilbon: Downtown DC was nothing, and it couldn’t have been planned that way when they built the arena because nobody knew he was coming. Downtown DC was sleepy.

There was no retail, there was no shopping, it wasn’t happening. That kicked it off.

People came to downtown DC because of Michael Freaking Jordan.

For every off night in that two-year window, various bars, nightclubs, and restaurants earned traffic just off the off chance of seeing Michael Jordan.

Lee: Any place that he frequented in his personal time? Their business quadrupled. There was no social media, but when word got out that Mike went somewhere, those businesses popped off crazy. It did really well for the economy here.

Wilbon: Zola’s was one of his spots, and I certainly had a few dinners there with him after games.

The restaurant scene was very provincial before then. It was driven by Howard, Georgetown, and the federal government. But people didn’t stay who worked in the federal government and go to dinner. That wasn’t the social way of Washington.

But Michael’s presence 41 times a year changed that. Instantly.

Haywood: I was a big video game guy. Mike was 40 years old; he wasn’t playing video games. A lot of times at the hotels, they were gambling, but I stayed away because my money wasn’t long enough. So, I didn’t really hang with him a lot outside of practice.

But me and Jared Jeffries? One time, we all went out, and Mike was with us. The music was playing at this club, and all the Wizards were there. Jared’s my guy, and we’re beside Jordan. The music’s playing, it’s popping, but the whole club is staring at Michael Jordan.

I see why this dude doesn’t go out like that. Everything’s popping, everybody’s dressed up, but everybody’s just staring at this guy.

After a while, he didn’t feel comfortable, so he ended up leaving. The pressure of being Michael Jordan must be crazy. I couldn’t imagine going up and the whole room just staring at me.

The wildest part was when he left, he didn’t pay his bill, so they thought me and Jared were going to pay it. [Laughs] I was like, “Y’all are crazy, we can’t afford that! You better call Mike and get him back here ’cause I ain’t paying that!”

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Lee: He definitely was a sing-along type, not much dancing. When The Last Dance came out, and you see him pregaming to Kenny Lattimore, I knew firsthand that he was an R&B guy.

Me and my guy Greg used to do these R&B events called R&B Live DC. What I didn’t know was that MJ and Bob Johnson owned the venue we used to do them at. At one of our events, Mike, Bob, and Charles Oakley came to our event.

We didn’t know they were the landlords of the venue. We were promoting the event, so for us to have that on our resume? It was crazy.

Howard Hewett was the headliner, and the venue was called Posh. It was a business venture that Mike and Bob had together before the Bobcats. We had been doing the events for a year and got a call that Jordan was coming.

I came out to take a picture with Charles Oakley — because I know Mike doesn’t do pictures — and Charles was giving Mike hell, just joking on him. It was just us outside, and it was amazing.

Before 2020, Washington DC’s nightlife economy was said to earn over $7 billion in annual revenue.

More than that, it provided nearly 65,000 jobs and spanned over 2,400 businesses.

A study by Jon Stover & Associates places the 20-year turn at the same time Michael Jordan became both a resident and an attraction.

Wilbon: I had lived in DC for 22 years by then. I was downtown every day because I worked there, and I’m from Chicago — I know what downtown ought to be!

Downtown DC was sleepy, but the energy that Michael brought to that? It was organic; the energy was created because he came.

Tune in on Friday for the final piece of Boardrom’s three-part oral history. If you missed Part 1, be sure to catch up here.

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The post How Michael Jordan Revived DC & the NBA with Wizards Comeback appeared first on Boardroom.

At 60 years of age, Michael Jordan has seen it all and done it all.

A baller, a billionaire, and a brand, His Airness has ascended to heights of ownership and affluence that kids still cling to and kings are measured by. However, 25 years ago, the world wondered what was next for No. 23.

Filling seats in Chicago for 13 lucky seasons and 610 consecutive sellouts, everything MJ touched turned to gold or green. Nike, the NBA, and the entire Windy City all relied on Jordan to make money and memories, providing hope for the hopeless and excess to the execs.

His fire-red blueprint for basketball and business is one with great risks and few blemishes.

All that equity and storybook ending hit the highest stakes in 2001 when Michael Jordan announced his return to the hardwood with the Washington Wizards.

Putting it all on the line when the nation was under attack and the league under duress, America’s hoop hero traded in his red cape and front office gig for a blue jersey and ice bags.

Leading a team that had only won 19 games the previous season, MJ bet his body, brand, and reputation for an uncanny partnership between GOAT and C-Suite, old icon and new market.

In the standings, it proved a failure. Looking beyond box scores, it was an economic event of massive proportions, reinvigorating an entire community, a global game, and a generation of athletes-turned-entrepreneurs.

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Over the last three years, Boardroom has spoken to teammates, competitors, executives, and analysts who were around MJ’s transition from the backcourt to the front office.

This week, Boardroom offers a three-part oral history of MJ’s reign in Washington DC, beginning with his 1999 retirement and star-studded comeback training sessions.

A Cold Day in The Chi

25 years ago, hoops hell froze over.

“I think we were in a state of denial,” Dan Patrick told David Aldridge on ESPN. “Just like this city is.”

It was a frigid and fitting 23 degrees outside in Chicago. Inside the United Center, things were just as icy.

On Jan. 13, 1999, Michael Jordan announced his retirement from the NBA.

It was only days before the lockout officially ended and only months after he downed the Utah Jazz for his sixth NBA title.

“You just can’t believe somebody would go out on top,” Patrick said.

“We’re not used to athletes doing that. Here’s a guy who hit the Last Shot, won a title, was the MVP, and he says, ‘That’s it, I’ll step down.'”

“I thought about saying just two words, ‘I’m gone,'” the 35-year-old Jordan told the 800 media members in attendance.

“But I thought I owed my fans a lot more than that. Mentally, I’m exhausted, I don’t feel I have a challenge.”

Still, a .01% chance of return remained in sight.

“Physically, I feel great.”

Kevin Garnett (NBA champion, Hall of Famer, Host of KG Certified): When MJ retired? I was shocked because I knew he had a bunch of basketball left in him. He must be super bored, leaving the game?

Rachel Nichols (Award-winning Journalist, Host of Headliners): In the industry? We all knew it was coming. It still remains one of the biggest what-ifs in sports history.

Paul Pierce (NBA champion, Hall of Famer, co-host of KG Certified): I was sick. I always wanted to play against MJ and that was the year I got drafted.

My dream was to play at The Forum in Inglewood and to play against Mike. As soon as I come in? No Forum, no Mike.

Metta Sandiford-Artest (NBA champion, 1999 Chicago Bulls first-round pick): I was one year away and had the opportunity to play against MJ, Pippen, Rodman, Kukoc, BJ Armstrong … my favorite Bulls that I grew up idolizing.

But when Jordan retired? I just missed it and had to move on.

Garnett: It fucked up everybody because we were all fans — and still are — of Michael Jordan. He’s the GOAT of GOATs, the king of kings.

Everybody was looking around like, “Who’s gonna be the face of the league?” There were like seven or eight guys, and if I’m keeping it 100? Allen Iverson was kind of the face because he had so much influence on culture.

Nichols: For years, there was the question: who’s the next Michael Jordan? Harold Miner was Baby Jordan, Grant Hill — you could list off 10 people who were anointed the “Next Jordan,” which tells you just how desperately people were missing Michael Jordan.

The league office had declining television ratings to deal with.

Darren Rovell (Emmy Award-winning analyst, Sports Business Reporter): Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals was the most-watched NBA game ever. And then you head straight into the lockout. That’s a bad run.

In 2000 and 2001? I think it took LeBron’s draft in 2003 to get people going even though you had the Lakers titles. I think the lockout pissed people off and there was some attrition in NBA fandom.

Nichols: It was a huge hit. You had a league where the players weren’t playing and suddenly didn’t have Michael Jordan.

There was this feeling that a league that had exploded in popularity with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and moved seamlessly there to the Michael Jordan years.

Suddenly, it didn’t have one of these gods of Olympus to carry it through the next era. It was a problem. It had an effect on the league economically, and it had an effect on the league in terms of culture dominance and where the NBA stood.

When MJ retired in 1999, the revolution was televised as ESPN aired the announcement, only to follow the live coverage with a 24-hour marathon of Michael Jordan highlights and homages.

According to The Chicago Tribune, economic experts estimated the league would lose anywhere between $100 million and $200 million due to MJ’s departure.

Rovell: The Bulls were the traveling Beatles, and then all of a sudden, it was John Lennon or Paul McCartney by himself.

Michael Wilbon (Award-winning Journalist, ESPN analyst): It was an event every night that he played for 15 years. It changed everything about the civic nature of the city. It changed race relations. It changed everything.

And more than that, it defined a lot of things about the city. It eliminated the second-city feel. We felt inferior to New York; Michael changed that and the energy of the city reflected that in his time there.

Nichols: The whole city ran through Michael Jordan. The fact that Michael Jordan was playing there was a claim to fame for the city globally. More so than anything that happened in that city prior, more than the World’s Fair! What city wouldn’t want to see itself in Michael Jordan?

You could see the way it changed where Chicago felt it was on the national scale compared to New York or Los Angeles.

Wilbon: The Chicago Tribune once did a story that Michael meant a trillion dollars to the economy of Chicago. A trillion! And it quantified it with economists and financial experts explaining why.

Having that type of presence converting a place 40-plus times a year? That’s a significant number of nights and days.

Rovell: When the Bulls became who they were, that’s when an economy popped up around the United Center — otherwise, it’s just in the middle of nowhere.

So, the economic impact is not only felt inside the arena but on the outskirts two hours before a game when people go to a bar before they go in. Or when people come into town just hoping they can scalp a ticket, just the demand to want to be in the arena or close to the arena.

Wilbon: There was nothing like the electricity that it brought to the city. Nothing.

You didn’t see the Bears in town, you saw Michael, Scottie, and Horace. Their presence just lit the place up and this happened for 15 years.

The Billions Behind MJ’s Last Dance Season

Boardroom breaks down how MJ’s final run in Chicago netted a record-setting salary, millions of eyeballs, and billions in economic impact.

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Rovell: The craziest thing that happened? Steve Schanwald, who was a top executive for the Bulls, basically manned the mailing list for the Bulls. The mailing list was of all the people who once got in or couldn’t get in.

It meant that when the Bulls were horrible for years and years after Jordan left the Bulls could come back to the mailing list and say, ‘Hey, you haven’t had a chance to come to the United Center, now come.’

Sandiford-Artest: We were losing games and it was packed.

Rovell: They led the league in attendance for years and years just from the Jordan halo that existed. If you look back at the early ’00s, the Bulls were still drawing 22,000 as they sucked.

Sandiford-Artest: The first year? Our plane was incredible. We had the leftovers from the championship team and each seat was a suite. It was incredible, it was the best plane I’d been on in the NBA — even better than the Dallas Mavericks plane. That Chicago Bulls plane was sick.

Garnett: All the luxuries we have today? All the structure we have in a lot of businesses? He initiated all that. He broke that boundary for us.

I know a lot of people will go back to Bill Russell, but Michael Jordan took us from where Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson took us to be universal. We were not only household names, but licensing went to another level.

The business of basketball went to another level because of Mike.

The Wizard of Ops

Michael Jordan started the new millennium in the front office AND the box office.

Months after retiring, MJ jumped to the biggest of big screens by brokering a deal with IMAX.

“Ultimate Jordan” aired in over 50 IMAX locations globally, making over $21 million as an art project and propelling his Chicago Bulls highlight reel across a 79-foot screen.

Back in America’s capital, the popcorn had long been popping.

On Jan. 19, 2000 — almost exactly a year after retiring from the Bulls — the GOATed guard was brought on as a part owner and president of operations for the Washington Wizards.

Among the worst teams in the entire NBA and amid a five-game losing streak, the announcement shocked former foes and peers alike.

At the same time the basketball world was questioning Michael’s move, he was challenging his new team, calling the Wizards rosters “underachievers.”

The next night, the lowly team got their first win in 10 days.

Nichols: It was pretty shocking that he was going to be with a team that in no way was synonymous with greatness. This is a team that last appeared in the NBA Finals in 1979! And had been on a downward trajectory ever since.

Wilbon: I was covering the league then, so I was around the flow of conversation. I wrote about it in The Washington Post from the Super Bowl. The news and buzz of it was crazy.

David Falk is my neighbor in Besdea. I was a member of one of the courses that Michael joined, Four Streams. Because of what I did and having the Chicago part in common already, he let me in on what was happening.

People thought it was going to change everything — and it should have — but it was temporary.

Garnett: Mike had on suits and gave a whole different perception. He determined how you came into camp and your whole mentality.

Nichols: Abe Pollin was an old-guard NBA owner who was a real fabric of the league establishment at that point.

He and Michael had some pretty contentious moments across the bargaining table during a previous lockout, so that surprised everyone. But he was someone who knew MJ well during their mutual time in power positions around the league.

Wilbon: I knew from the Wizards’ end of it that it was possible and it just made sense to me. When he came back and wasn’t playing — just being an executive — it made sense that the franchise needed the juice that he could bring to it.

Nichols: Abe was able to see the value in having Michael around the team and was willing to give up a lot financially to do it.

Back in Chicago, writers, fans, and friends felt Michael Jordan should’ve been given a job — or a piece — of the Bulls.

Finding greener pastures in DC, the benefit of working with the lowly Wizards was not only a front office title but a 10% ownership stake in the team. At that time, no NBA player had ever become an owner of an NBA team.

While Washington wasn’t ripe with talent as a franchise, it was a major market for basketball — and MJ.

Even after retiring from Chicago, Jordan was still the most valued endorser in America.

Before trading in his pinstriped jersey for pinstriped suits, the celebrated shooting guard signed a 10-year endorsement deal with WorldCom.

Said to pay him $2 million annually, MJ was making more a year in retirement from WorldCom than the bulk of the Bulls or Wizards were making a year from the NBA.

Slinging pre-paid calling cards and appearing ads, the 1995 signing took new shape in 1997 when WorldCom bought MCI for $41.9 billion.

Appearing in 80% of WorldCom ads, MJ was starring in phone service commercials while enjoying basketball retirement.

In the same span that WorldCom bought big on Mike, the nation’s capital opened up the $260 million MCI Center: the new home of the Washington Wizards.

Upon opening, the rebranded Bullets struggled to sell tickets due to a struggling squad.

When MCI’s main man Michael Jordan joined the front office, things suddenly shifted in the building and around the city.

Nyrik Lee (Former Wizards intern, Marketing Director at The Museum DC): For him to plant his flag in DC was crazy. It was damn near like what happened in 2008 when Obama came.

Having a figure like him in the area? Of all places to go? It was that type of feeling where everybody was shocked that this god-like figure was looming in the city. That any moment you could see him.

Nichols: A lot of times, he’d watch the games in his office on TV even though he’d be in the arena. But the times he was visible in the box? You’d have fans constantly shouting at him, “Come down on the court and play!”

He had missed being part of the game. The biggest thing about Michael’s Wizards tenure overall was that, for him, there was nothing like being part of the game night after night.

His first go was as an executive and part owner because once he retired the second time, that path was closed to him.

Nineteen years before becoming a businessman in DC, a young Mike Jordan studied cultural geography at the University of North Carolina.

Each offseason during his dominance as a pro player, he’d come back to Chapel Hill to scrimmage with NBA alumni and active members of the Tar Heel roster.

One summer after he made the move from All-Star to exec, he stopped by the Dean Dome to see some old friends and new talent.

Brendan Haywood (NBA champion, UNC All-American, NBA TV analyst): We all just knew about Michael Jordan as a player; we weren’t thinking about the front office aspect of it.

He came through on one occasion when I was in school. Mike had retired at that point, so it wasn’t like before when he was coming back all the time to stay in shape.

He was dominating the pick-up games. Jerry Stackhouse, Antawn Jamison, all these guys come back, and Mike’s out there dominating.

Afterward, we’re like, “You still been playing? You been training?” He goes, “I haven’t picked up a basketball since I retired.”

In Michael Jordan’s first two seasons in the Wizards’ front office, the team finished dead last in the Atlantic Division.

While attendance and morale were both up upon arrival, fans across the capital clamored for Mike to swap his sharp suits for a blue uniform.

Nichols: The team was not doing well, and here was a guy who could help them just by putting on a jersey.

There was a big cry in Washington to come back, and there was a big cry across the league for him to come back. There certainly was an itch with him.

He left basketball as the greatest player of all time. He wanted to get back to being the person he was when he was the greatest at something. That’s where you could start to see that he might come back.

I saw him various times over that period, and he was a little slimmer and Tim Grover was around. There were hints.

Jay Z, Beyoncé & Basketball’s Best Kept Secret

On April 18, 2001, the Washington Wizards ended a three-game losing streak.

It was only because the regular season concluded.

Downed at the hands of the Toronto Raptors, fellow North Carolina alum and Air Apparent Vince Carter controlled the game from the two-guard spot.

Scoring 34 points and sporting a shaved head and signature Nikes, he was like Mike in many manners.

The only Wizard who could stop Vinsanity was wearing not a jersey but a suit.

Perhaps it was time to grab his cape.

Antoine Walker (Three-time NBA All-Star, Chicago hoop legend): In 2001, I got a phone call back when you called people private. I was five years in the league, and I was the ringleader in Chicago as far as pickup basketball.

At this time, you’re talking about 20 or 30 pros that lived in Chicago. We all played pickup ball together. I ended up getting a call from Mike that he is thinking about coming back and wants to get in the gym.

We were playing in the park at the time. He wanted me to get the guys together and asked if we could move the run over to Hoops.

Quentin Richardson (NBA veteran, Jordan Brand ambassador, Knuckleheads co-host): We were part of the group that was in the gym when he was coming back.

There were straight killers in that building.

Pierce: I was always going to Chicago and playing in the pickup games with Mike and Antoine. Mike was playing every day.

When you have a gym with me, Toine, Shawn Marion, Jordan, Ron Artest? It was crazy in there.

Sandiford-Artest: Rookie year, I was in the gym. It was all new having pro training at the next level where players are faster, better, and bigger. I was mostly at the Berto Center.

I forget how I got the invitation, but I’m from New York City, and I’m always looking for runs.

Even in the prime of my career, I was playing on concrete multiple times a day. I never lost one game at the Rucker, and I have three championships there. I’m one of the best streetball players.

Not being in New York in the summertime was really challenging because I’m always playing basketball. In Chicago, when I got the opportunity to play in those open runs? I needed to play some basketball.

Walker: That was a surreal moment for me as a person and as a player. To be able to be with Michael Jordan on a day-to-day basis and train with him? That’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

It was tough, but you had respect for what he was trying to do and accomplish. The gym was private but it was public because so many of us were from Chicago.

Despite MJ being an exec in Washington, the runs began to heat up in Chicago.

Back in DC, spirits were high. Not because of murmurs of a Michael Jordan comeback but because the Wizards won the 2001 NBA Draft Lottery, securing the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since becoming the Baltimore Bullets back in 1963.

All the while, MJ was doing his own evaluation of what basketball’s next generation was made of at Hoops Chicago.

To no surprise, the young guns were sizing up the old exec just the same.

Sandiford-Artest: He was very physical, and that’s about how it was playing streetball in New York City.

Guys like DP, The Predator, and The Terminator were super physical in New York. But Michael was psychical.

Now, everybody else in those runs? They were definitely not as physical as MJ.

Pierce: I was matching up with him. I wasn’t really talking, but he was. I was loving the fact that I had a chance to play against him because that was my dream since he retired.

Walker: He was 38. The competitive drive that he had to get back in great shape and compete? That was something special.

I think we all learned a lot from that. We learned a lot about that game of basketball and the passion it takes to win.

Sandiford-Artest: At 19 years old, my mindset was in a different place. I wasn’t really interested in much besides basketball.

He played well against me lots of times, and I played well against him a few times. It was always physical. Mike was older, and I was at my prime defensively. He had games where he played very well.

Antoine Walker was looking really good. Michael Finley was playing well, and Jerry Stackhouse played well. Corey Benjamin was there and a few big guys from the Bulls. Jamal Crawford was younger.

Jamal Crawford (Three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year, TNT analyst): My dad had told me that Michael Jordan liked my game. But I didn’t believe him. How would he know?

We’re playing against Antoine Walker, Michael Finley, Penny Hardaway, Ray Allen, and Tim Hardaway.

One day, we had Charles Barkley on our team because at the time, he was thinking about making a comeback.

Sandiford-Artest: I played against Barkley one day. I don’t know if he was coming back, he was a little bigger and getting a run in.

LeBron James was younger — he fit in very well. I think he was 15; he got a test of the waters. I remember him attacking the basket, and I was like, “Wow.” I was 19 and I was not as athletic as him at 15.

LeBron had no problem. He didn’t have all the skills but in terms of attacking the basket on the fastbreak? I don’t recall anybody getting in his way.

Walker: Those runs were super competitive. Everything was well organized, well run, and we played with referees.

There were days when there were 35 pros! If you lose a game, you may have to sit two games to get back on the court. That’s how deep the competition [was].

So many guys in the gym could do so many things, but it was still traditional because, at that time, centers were still relevant. Mike picked his team, we’d pick our team, and it’s let’s go.

Sandiford-Artest: That was MJ and Tim Grover’s gym, so I’m assuming they made the rules — definitely even teams.

Crawford: I’m just a young dude; it wasn’t like he was stacking his team. I would’ve been one of the last picks just based on how young I was.

The next time I went, Tim Grover was calling me saying, “MJ’s waiting on you. He’s waiting to start the game until you get here.”

From that moment on? We didn’t lose one single game for two straight summers. We never lost. Never.

Richardson: I can neither confirm nor deny that. It got competitive.

Walker: [Laughs] Nah, they lost, but Mike won a lot. The days that Jamal was there? Now, that could be true. But I took pride; I wasn’t going to lose every day. But I got a few wins, too, now.

Sandiford-Artest: Mike was winning games for sure. He averaged 25! But that first year? You should’ve seen him in the gym; I thought he was going to average 35. That’s how nice MJ was in the gym.

Walker: We played every day at 2 p.m. for two or three hours. People would want to come in and watch, but Tim Grover ran the gym with an iron fist. He was really big on who we brought in, so we had to create a list.

Pierce: We would play cards after at Antoine’s house, and he was talking about it. Him and Oakley were in the gym, and he was looking like he was gonna come back. It was every day. Weights, pickup games. He was killing.

Walker: It was shit-talking and great basketball. You looked forward to getting up in the morning because you wanted to have bragging rights for that day. The friendships and relationships that were built from that? We spent a lot of time off the court.

Even as a salaried executive and part-owner of the Washington Wizards, Chicago was still home for Michael Jordan.

Having spent 15 years in the Windy City as a player, fans could still sometimes catch Mike flying around town in a sports car, traveling from his historic mansion to the private runs at Hoops Chicago.

While those around town had no idea just what Mike was up to back home, those at the gym were well aware that Mike was all the way back to being Mike.

Crawford: He was just on a whole different level, and you could walk into the gym and see that.

One day, MJ wore an all-yellow Jordan outfit with some yellow Jordans that probably still haven’t come out with a yellow Ferrari outside to match.

Walker: I don’t know if he did that purposely, but Mike was always one of those ones with 20 cars. We all had different cars, but nobody had the Michael Jordan collection.

Mike had the first Ferraris, Porsches, and all that stuff. I don’t think he ever said it was color-coordinated, but it probably seemed that way. I’m not gonna lie; he had all the fancy cars.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé came into town, and they ended up spending the weekend with us. Worldwide Wes brought them to the gym, and they hung out and watched us work out.

Crawford: Uncle Wes was sitting outside of a black truck. When I finally got to him, a window rolled down, and it’s Jay-Z. I literally backed up and said, “Oh, shit!“

Walker: Mike would have them back at the house, and we’d have a little cookout. Since 2001, Jay-Z kept Michael Jordan’s name in a verse. I think it’s because they built a relationship after that.

Mike was more of a people person then. He felt very comfortable at the time. He wasn’t walking around with security guards.

Crawford: His restaurant was next door, and he’d walk with no security. People would drive by and almost crash, screaming, “There’s MJ!”

I loved other players, but nobody like him. It still doesn’t seem real.

Walker: Those are moments that we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.

Nichols: Once he started the practices and invite-only workouts? You kind of knew.

Be sure to tune in on Wednesday for Part 2 of Boardroom’s deep dive into Michael Jordan’s ascension into the Wizards front office.

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The post No Bull: The Business Behind Michael Jordan’s Front Office Ascent appeared first on Boardroom.

Don’t look now, but the Indiana Pacers have arrived.

After three consecutive losing seasons, the Pacers are on track to register their first winning record since 2019-20, and they are doing it while playing an exciting brand of basketball and having fun. Sitting at 23-17, fans in Indy are coming out to watch a new-and-improved Pacers squad. And with All-Star Weekend coming to town in a few weeks, the franchise and the city are working together to show the rest of the league what Indianapolis has to offer.

So, what exactly does Indiana have to offer? Let’s start with the engine of what is currently a historically great offense in point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who leads the league in assists with 12.5 per game while also pouring in a career-high 23.6 points per game. Not to mention that Hali is one of the league’s most valuable players relative to his contract, playing out the final year of his rookie deal before his five-year, $205.9 million extension kicks in.

Oh, and he’s only 23 years old.

The NBA Value All-Stars: Haliburton & Who Else?

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Check it out!

There’s no question that Haliburton instantly changed this franchise’s trajectory. When the guard was traded to Indy from Sacramento for Domantas Sabonis, he was still finding his footing in the NBA. We knew he was good, but the jury was still out on whether he could be a franchise centerpiece.

Well, that’s no longer a question, with the organization pushing full steam ahead on building around its star playmaker. They did so in the offseason by signing Bruce Brown and trading for Obi Toppin, both plug-and-play guys that thrive alongside a player like Haliburton.

Obviously, these savvy business moves worked, evidenced by Indiana’s remaining above .500 for the entirety of the season thus far and only a half-game behind the New York Knicks and Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference. But it was clear that, despite an appearance in the inaugural In-Season Tournament finals, the rising Pacers were still behind the top tier of contenders like the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Philadelphia 76ers.

Haliburton wanted more. Front office executives Kevin Pritchard and Chad Buchanan wanted more. The fans wanted more.

Looking to capitalize on what’s been a successful season for Indiana thus far, Pritchard and Buchanan went out and made the biggest splash of #TradeSZN to this point, acquiring Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. A two-time All-Star and NBA champion, Siakam could be the piece that catapults this team into that aforementioned upper tier of contenders, and here’s why.

Remember that exciting brand of basketball Indiana plays? That was code for fast — the Pacers average a league-high 106.5 possessions per game. They are most dangerous in transition, where Haliburton is a sniper when it comes to finding his teammates for open looks.

Insert Siakam, who leaves many of his big-man counterparts in the dust on the run while also being one of the most efficient players in transition situations. Additionally, he simply just plays hard, which can go a long way on a team like Indiana.

I’ll let former NBA shooting guard JJ Redick take it from here:

All that said, the trade for Siakam did come at a price. Remember Bruce Brown, the player that Indiana set out to sign in the offseason on the heels of his championship with the Nuggets? He was sent to Toronto in the deal, along with three first-round picks.

Not only that, but Siakam is in the last year of his current contract. Prior to the trade, there were rumors that Siakam would not sign a long-term extension with certain teams, so Indiana must feel pretty good about its chances to re-sign him this offseason if the franchise is giving up that kind of draft capital for a potential rental.

And that extension won’t be cheap. Siakam’s salary for this season is nearly $38 million, which will likely be the starting point of his next deal, presumably with the Pacers. He will likely demand in the $40-50 million range, which sounds like a lot for a player nearing 30. And while it’s certainly not a small number, keep in mind the salary cap will increase yearly.

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With Haliburton’s extension kicking in next year — his first year will clock in at roughly $35 million — coupled with an assumed Siakam extension, things will get tricky regarding free agency and recruiting another high-level player. But with the way Haliburton has played, while leaning into the city and fanbase, the tune is changing in Indianapolis.

“They look at how much fun it is to play there. How much fun (Haliburton) is to play with. How unselfish he is,” ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski said while explaining how players around the league are eyeing Indiand. “And it sometimes allows you to play up in class in terms of your market. He makes up for the difference that a midwestern market might’ve had trouble keeping the guy.”

Look, the move certainly comes with risk.

Maybe he’s a sticky fit next to center Myles Turner. Maybe the pairing between him and Haliburton isn’t as seamless as we think. Time will tell, but this move was made with the idea that Siakam would stay in Indiana long-term, partnering with the charismatic Haliburton on their climb to the top of the East.

All-Star Weekend is just around the corner, and the Pacers organization has been preparing and building for years for 2024. But the way the team is moving right now is a play for the future, setting Indiana up to be a potential contender for years to come.

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The post Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam & the New-look Indiana Pacers appeared first on Boardroom.

Dwyane Wade was unstoppable at times during his 16-year NBA career. Now, years after walking away from the hardwood, the Miami Heat legend wants to learn from some of the most successful and essential voices, not only in sports but in all kinds of business.

Wade officially entered the podcast space on Wednesday when he launched The Why with Dwyane Wade in partnership with iHeartPodcasts and his 59^th & Prairie Entertainment company. Moving forward, the three-time NBA Finals champion will sit down with “pioneers in sports, fashion, music, and business for an intimate conversation” about their ascent to success and the reasons why they keep pushing to innovate.

The first drop on Wednesday — a two-part episode — is a roundtable discussion with fellow Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, and Tony Parker. Other confirmed guests to keep an eye out for on Wade’s program in the future include Carmelo Anthony, Rick Ross, Pat Riley, David Grutman, and Lindsey Vonn, among others, Wade confirmed.

“I had a couple of people that I really wanted to start this off with,” Wade told Boardroom. “And definitely from a Miami standpoint, Pat Riley and David Grutman, I wanted to make sure that I put them in there.

“But above anything, there were conversations I always wanted to have, and hopefully, the listeners want to listen to me have.”

Arguably one the most revered names in the NBA and, more specifically, in South Beach, it was a no-brainer that Riley would share space with someone equally as beloved in the 305. As someone with a penchant for learning, Wade teased that Riley shared details of his life he never even knew.

“For listeners that have not heard his story or what made him who he is today, hopefully, they get an opportunity to walk away inspired by our conversation,” Wade said.

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Over the last few years, we’ve witnessed athletes start taking control of their storytelling in favor of traditional media outlets. Whether by forming their own media companies or working with a company similar to The Why, Wade attributes this growing trend to the beauty of owning your narrative.

“You’ve got journalists and people who just decide to wake up one day and say something about you. Sometimes they control the story because they’re first to report it,” Wade said. “Now, you have athletes with the opportunity to control their narrative, and I think that’s powerful.

“To be in a position that we all are in, to be as successful as we’ve been in this sport, you have to create a vision. You have to create this image for yourself as a young kid because this is one of the hardest things to do, especially playing at an elite level. So we’re amazing storytellers, and now we get to do things on our terms without being misquoted or through perception.”

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Miami Forever

Made official last weekend, it was only a matter of time before Dwyane Wade received a statue outside the Heat’s downtown arena.

Riley, the team’s president, delivered the good news during halftime of the Heat’s game against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, which they designated “Dwyane Wade Hall of Fame Night.” When the bronze statue is eventually unveiled outside of Kaseya Center, it will be the first in franchise history.

Wade and the Heat are currently in the process of hammering out some of the finer details of the statue.

“You’ve seen some of the GOATs of our game get statues. And sometimes you’re lucky enough to be one of those individuals,” Wade told Boardroom. ” … I know what I would want it to be, but it has to come together the right way. I think it will, and I think all the fans are going to be pleased with the image that is chosen and where it’s located because all of these things matter. I can’t wait to share that day with the entire Wade County community and my family as well.”

Having played as long as he did in the league, Wade has experienced almost every emotion possible throughout his career. But when Riley made the statue announcement, Wade felt a new feeling, going as far as admitting he started to tear up.

“It was raw emotion,” Wade joked before reverting to a more heartfelt demeanor. “Being there with the fans, I was thinking about all these memories, the injuries I’ve had, and the highs and the lows of playing in that arena. A jersey retirement is huge, but a statue goes a step beyond where it’s a very elite group of people who have one. I just got real emotional about God’s plan for me in that moment.”

Team USA & the Olympics

Now that we’re in 2024, it’s officially an Olympics year, and all eyes will be on Team USA this summer as it looks to add another medal to the federation’s history. The retired Wade won’t be a part of the squad, of course, but his illustrious career resume does include two Olympic medals — a bronze in 2004 and a gold four years later in Beijing.

During Los Angeles Lakers media day in October 2023, Wade’s former teammate LeBron James confirmed his interest in playing for Team USA in Paris. And let’s be honest: If LeBron wants to play, he’ll be on the roster.

James is among a group of NBA stars who have reportedly expressed interest in suiting up for the United States this summer, including Stephen Curry (who has yet to make his Olympic debut), Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Draymond Green, and Chris Paul. Even reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who has dual citizenship in France and could have played for its national team, wants in.

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The aforementioned names would undoubtedly give Team USA the upper hand over its competition. Still, Wade says it will be “challenging” to be the indomitable force Team USA has been known as in years past. Some of that is due to the fact that basketball has grown exponentially across the globe in recent years, consequently producing superstars from other nations. And while other countries may struggle to still field an entire roster that is on par with the US, they aren’t far behind, and some boast individual talent that can compete with anyone.

“Just look in the league; most of the stars are not American-born basketball players,” Wade said. “Honestly, it’s just going to be hard to be that dominant. But to win gold and to be the best is going to take some commitment. It’s going to take some sacrifice. You’re going to take continuity and all the things that are needed to be a team. It’s very hard when guys get together for a month and a half and try to accomplish something amazing when you’ve got people from around the world that this is what they do year-round. They’ve been doing it together since they were 12 years old, so they have chemistry.

“It’s definitely getting more challenging. And now we’re going to see what we’re made of, not just from a talent standpoint, but overall as basketball players. But it’s going to be interesting, and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish.”

The two-part first episode of The Why with Dwyane Wade is now available on the iHeartRadio app and all major podcast platforms. Exclusive videos from each podcast will also be available on YouTube.

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The post Dwyane Wade’s Next Play appeared first on Boardroom.

After Michael Porter Jr. won a championship as a key scorer on the Denver Nuggets, Puma and the 25-year-old forward quickly got to work on landing a new shoe deal extension. “MPJ” was originally part of the brand’s Basketball category re-launch that began with the draft class of 2018. 

“The thing that stuck out to me was the creative side and the lifestyle,” Porter Jr told Boardroom. “I always loved the swag that Puma had off the court and the fact that they were now trying to bring that on the court.”

As part of the newly signed shoe deal extension — and a nod to the women of the Porter family’s longtime lineage in hoops — MPJ has been wearing Breanna Stewart’s second signature shoe this season to help highlight his love for women’s hoops.

“I’ve always admired Stewie’s game since back at UConn,” he said. “She’s broken tons of records, and ever since her rookie year in the WNBA, she’s done some amazing things. She’s always been a hooper to me.” 

Porter’s sisters Cierra and Bri also played at Missouri. His youngest sister, Jayda, is currently a high school standout senior. His mom, Lisa, averaged a ridiculous 58.7 points per game as a high school senior in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1983, on the way to being named “Miss Basketball” as the best female player in the state.

“My mom was an amazing basketball player,” smiled Porter Jr. “I’ve always respected women that play, and we’ve always talked about my mom being probably the best in the family.”

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Giving Women’s Basketball Hoopers Their Flowers

As he continues to lace up the Puma Stewie 2s this season, MPJ is looking to lead the way in celebrating the recent resurgence of women’s signature basketball shoes. 

“You have guys wearing women’s shoes, and it’s usually the other way around,” he adds. “We want to bring more awareness to the WNBA and give those women the flowers that they deserve. I just think it’s cool for me to be able to represent that.”

When Stewart signed on with Puma during the summer of 2020, part of the announcement included the declaration that she’d be getting her own signature shoe with the company. 

“I think the way they designed it is awesome,” Porter said. “I saw a video that said she was the 10th woman to have a signature shoe. … I did a little bit of research and realized that girls really haven’t had too many signature shoes.”

Stewie indeed became the 10th player and just the first WNBA player in a decade to launch her own signature shoe in 2021. There are now a dozen WNBA players who have had their own signature shoe over the league’s 27 seasons. More are still long “overdue” — as the original Stewie campaign tagline said.

After being one of the original NBA players to sign on for this modern era of Puma Basketball, Porter Jr. has seen up close how the brand has stood behind an investment into the women’s game, pushed efforts to build out a lifestyle lane and highlighted the creativity of the players signed on with the brand.

Seeing Puma’s Vision Ahead 

With hindsight in tow, Puma’s Basketball re-launch has gone just about as well as planned. The initial class of five lottery picks added instant credibility. Meanwhile, the women’s side was fortified by headliners in Stewart and Skylar Diggins-Smith. The brand landed tunnel staple Kyle Kuzma and signature star LaMelo Ball shortly after. 

But it was all a blur during the week leading into the 2018 NBA Draft for Porter Jr. 

“That was a crazy time. As a rookie, everyone is trying to get a shoe deal,” he recalled. “Puma was never really big in the basketball scene. When we were debating who we were going to go with, and everyone gave their pitch, what stood out with Puma was their flexibility, their vision, and the way they looked at things.”

Other brands offered financial figures and loose plans, while Puma had a distinct path in place for Porter. 

“You could tell they genuinely cared about the players that they were looking to invest in and create this brand with through basketball. It didn’t feel like the stereotypical business model,” he added. 

More than anything, during a highly-reported time in which MPJ’s once-projected No. 1 pick draft stock was falling and he faced an expected sidelined rookie season due to injury, he noticed how the brand didn’t switch up along the way. 

“That’s really what stood out, the fact that they believed in me,” he said. “Look, I always was a Nike guy growing up, and a little bit of Under Armour as well, with Steph Curry there. But I never even thought that Puma was going to get in the basketball space.

“After my injuries, I did feel like a lot of people didn’t know where I’d end up [in the Draft] and lost belief in me. Puma never did, and they made that clear, that they wanted to make me a priority. The relationship was always very genuine and that went a long way with me.”

Throughout his young career, if he faced additional setbacks along the way, Puma was there to accommodate and support him.

“Puma has been so flexible with me,” said Porter. “I have a unique set of issues because of injuries, and Puma is so willing to go the extra mile to make sure that I’m comfortable on the court. That’s something that I might not get with other brands.”

Now, five years later, with a new extension in place, Porter is looking forward to building more with Puma, lacing up his Stewie signatures nightly, and playing towards another playoff push with Denver this spring. 

“It’s something where I want it to be a career-long thing,” beamed Porter. “Puma even betting on me and seeing a partnership going forward was really cool to me as well.”

As he reflects back on the last year, filled with a championship parade and now a contending defending team heading towards the midpoint of the season, he’s also ready to add on to the handful of years that he and Puma have invested into their partnership. 

“The story that I always want to tell and that Puma can help me with is about getting through adversity, reaching your goals through the hard times, and believing in yourself,” framed Porter. “I’m sure with this new extension, we’ll be able to tell a unique story.”

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The post Michael Porter Jr. Signs Puma Extension with Stewies on His Feet appeared first on Boardroom.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has had one of the more decorated careers of the past decade. He is a two-time NBA champion and a two-time Finals MVP. He brought the Toronto Raptors franchise its first championship in its 25-year history a season after the San Antonio Spurs declared him too injury-prone to continue to build around.

During that 2019 title run, he hit one of the most memorable playoff shots and took down the Association’s recent dynasty in the Golden State Warriors. He then signed in his hometown of Los Angeles — but with the Clippers. Here, he helped guide the team to its first Conference Finals berth ever.

But it’s here where there is another facet to Kawhi’s career. Injuries have made his availability inconsistent, at best. He has been one of the figureheads for “load management,” routinely sitting out of the lineup to preserve his body for the postseason. But even that was not enough to keep him from getting injured, as Kawhi missed the entire 2020-21 season with an ACL injury.

Still, the Clippers believe in him being healthy enough to keep them in contention in the Western Conference. They signed Kawhi to a four-year, $176 million contract before the 2021-22 season, which is now in its final season. This led the two sides back to the negotiating table, ultimately agreeing to a new three-year, $152.4 million extension this week, which is reportedly fully guaranteed.

Boardroom takes a look at the numbers of the deal.

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Kawhi Leonard Contract Details & Salary

All dollar figures via Spotrac. With the finer details of the extension still coming to light, the numbers vary slightly from the report above.

Years: 3
Total value: $150,000,000
Average annual value: $50,000,000
Free agency: 2027 (unrestricted)
2024-25 salary: $52,000,000 (according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who also reports the following two seasons will come in at roughly $50 million each)

Previous Extension:

Years: 4
Total value: $176,265,152
Average annual value: $44,068,288
2023-24: $45,640,084

The Intuit Dome, the Clippers’ Future Home

With Kawhi under contract through 2026-27, that ensures the star forward will play in LA’s new arena when it opens later this summer. Boardroom got a behind-the-scenes look at the venue.

Check it out!

Kawhi Leonard’s Career Earnings

Salary data via Spotrac.

TOTAL NBA EARNINGS THRU 2023-24: $276,566,211
ESTIMATED SALARY EARNINGS THRU 2026-27: $426,566,211

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The post Kawhi Leonard Contract & Salary Breakdown appeared first on Boardroom.

Last offseason, NBA executives, media moguls, and prized prospects descended on Las Vegas in the heat of free agency.

As July temperatures topped 115°, players of All-Star status and admins with six-figure salaries sweated out pitch meetings, setting up contract conversations and icy negotiations inside air-conditioned hotel suites.

All the while, Adam Silver and his colleagues waited with bated breath as Victor Wembenyama took center stage at the NBA Summer League, televised on ESPN and streaming on the $24 billion network’s app.

For those sporting suits that Nevada night, the stakes were higher than 7-5. An impending NBA TV deal rumored to touch $75 billion was — and still is — on the table for Silver and execs at Amazon, Apple, ESPN, and any bidder willing to spend.

While the world watched Wemby take his first shots in a Spurs uniform, talent scouts in the broadcast business centered on another viral sensation. Standing shy of 6 feet and having no college experience, Chicago’s own Kenny Beecham became the belle of the ball behind the scenes in Vegas.

“This was our first time to be free agents,” Beecham told Boardroom when recalling his hot months on the open market.

For those wondering why a Summer League soiree would take place over a 26-year-old talent in street clothes, it’s time to get familiar.

Making a name for himself as a YouTube creator and building his brand in Enjoy Basketball, Beecham is a 10-year veteran in the content space. Across channels, he’s created over 2,000 videos and amassed a billion views.

Because of this, Beecham became the center of attention for notable networks looking to put their best foot forward when entering basketball’s big bidding war over TV and streaming rights. That summer in Vegas, big wigs across cable, audio, and all platforms met with Beecham’s team to strike a deal dead set on securing hoop content’s King of Gen Z.

“We spent a considerable amount of time speaking to different networks and production companies,” Enjoy Basketball co-founder Cody Hock told Boardroom. “Those conversations started months ago and culminated relatively recently with Omaha and ESPN.”

Agreeing to a partnership with Peyton Manning‘s production company and Walt Disney’s $24 billion sports network, Kenny Beecham and Enjoy Basketball’s Through the Wire podcast will be rebranded as Numbers on the Board. Bringing along his friends, Kenny’s camp will work directly with Omaha Productions — a content company oozing with momentum.

“They just came off the success of Quarterback on Netflix,” Enjoy Basketball co-founder Cole Hock told Boardroom. “The more we kept talking, the more it made sense.”

Additionally, the distribution deal puts them under an ESPN umbrella, rapidly expanding into alternative broadcasts, branded content, and other new media avenues.

“The opportunities are endless,” Cody said.

Speaking to the power players at Enjoy Basketball, Boardroom breaks down what the year of leveling up looks like for Kenny Beecham and his prized partners.

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Windy City Content Machine

Kenny Beecham was born on Oct. 4, 1996, in Chicago.

Completing his first sentences by the time the Bulls had won their last championship, basketball was long in the blood of the young creative.

“I’ve been making content for over a decade at this point,” Kenny said. “Originally, it was just for the fun of it. There was no YouTube partnership program; I just watched other people make content, and it was mostly around gaming.”

Now 27 years old, the man behind a billion video views is still the same kid creating content in his basement.

“Traditionally, you go to college for a journalism degree,” said Kenny. “You start in a film room, and you do that for 10 years before you even get a shot at linear or radio. I don’t have a college degree. I didn’t do any internship.”

Such a path to online fame is not unusual in today’s creator economy. Still, it’s one of organic growth that rarely bears meaningful fruit in the sports media landscape dominated mostly by major networks, player podcasts, and storied newspapers.

It’s a path particular to Kenny, and likely that of future creators to follow.

“I know for sure that there are people that come after me that are going to be ten times better than me,” Kenny said. “But I want people to know there are different ways to get into the space.”

No doubt, plenty of people know Kenny’s content and creative path. Over a million subscribers can count on new uploads from Kenny multiple times a week.

Just like the league he covers, the broadcast business has gotten younger and faster.

“Every single day, we’re doing something new,” said Kenny. “A new follower, a new DM, a new company. It’s going really, really fast.”

The pace of play is real for someone constantly feeding fans and tirelessly keeping up with 30 franchises partaking in an 82-game season. Every evening at 6 p.m. sharp, Kenny’s bunkered down in his office or basement, zeroed in on at least two live games. When the sun rises the following morning, he’s back at it, catching up on the other 12 outings.

When it all adds up, that’s 2,460 games in an NBA campaign, plus the playoffs. That’s not even accounting for all the time spent filming, editing, unboxing partner packages, and ensuring his skills on the sticks in 2K are sharp.

Despite his various creative endeavors, it’s still ball above all.

“I have an entire document of every single game I’ve watched this season,” said Kenny. “I take notes, put questions I might want to see answered, and I dive into a few games a night.”

All the hours of watching game tapes and doing research have paid off. In a YouTube economy that sees creators steadily sprinting up a treadmill on an incline, Kenny’s not huffing and puffing out of fatigue or for attention. His honest opinions and appreciation for the game’s intricacies have created a community that tunes into every video, even if they don’t align with each angle.

“It’s hard to have an NBA opinion or sports fan base that rocks with your content to a whole new level,” said Kenny. “I see so many times, ‘Kenny, I don’t agree with you. But I respect what you’re saying.’ I read through my comments all the time.”

Already a decade in the game, Kenny’s come to a point where he doesn’t harp on the negative noise, nor does he put it out.

“I try to be constructive but recognize all the cool things,” Kenny said. “I’ve found a viewer base that shares that same sentiment.”

A viewer base that includes thousands of Gen Z hoop fans, dozens of NBA All-Stars, and a handful of execs at ESPN.

Eyeballs in Bristol

When ESPN chairman Joe Pitaro thumbs through First Take ratings and streaming subscribers, viral video statistics that once seemed vapid suddenly hold more weight.

Amid a cord-cutting era, networks like ESPN rely on new platforms, alternate broadcasts, and personality-driven programming to remain relevant to fragmented audiences and potential partners. Adam Silver and Kenny Beecham are sitting on opposite ends of the same list of partners.

The NBA is nearing the end of a $24 billion deal with Walt Disney that grants broadcast rights to ESPN and ABC. Already, both networks are utilizing alternative broadcasting streams to make the most out of their 100 regular season games and their piece of the NBA Playoffs and Finals.

When it comes to linear ratings, the NBA is nowhere near the NFL in dominance as a live TV destination. However, the NBA excels in social media, streaming services, and a Gen Z audience.

“The NBA has a younger-skewing fan base that is more liable to be accessed via a streaming platform,” former NBA executive and sports media consultant Ed Desser recently told Bloomberg. “You’ve got to fish where the fish are.”

Swimming in the perfect pond is Kenny’s collective.

The Enjoy Basketball brand itself boasts over half a million fans, proving profitable through merchandise, YouTube revenue, and branded content. Additionally, it circulates a three-times-a-week newsletter that points to the potential of Kenny’s fans aging gracefully with his youthful content.

It’s a territory that even basketball’s highest-profile talking heads heading into 2024 weren’t building when they were in their 20s.

“Kenny owns that Gen Z demographic,” Cody said. “The rest of those guys? They have an audience that skews a little bit older. He’s done a great job of building a community and developing that deep parasocial relationship online.”

Since declaring the partnership with ESPN and Omaha, the announcement video has already amassed over one million views in less than 24 hours. These are figures not new to Kenny and Enjoy Basketball but instantly exciting for the bosses back in Bristol.

“Everyone we talked to believed in us as a show,” Kenny said. “When you create content, you get numbers, but you don’t always internalize that there are actual people behind the numbers, and some of those people might be higher-ups at companies.”

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“ESPN was a massive draw for Kenny and the guys,” said Cody. “It was something we always wanted to do. Surrounding Kenny with a brand was the natural move for his career.”

For Kenny and Enjoy Basketball, the ESPN backing brings in a wealth of licensed NBA highlights and access to a Rolodex of podcast guests.

“The resources go up,” said Kenny. “We have the opportunity to use more game footage. We’re still trying to figure out the levels to the new resources, but what we’ve seen so far? It’s pretty cool.”

For ESPN, Kenny offers an invaluable co-sign and perspective as they continue to grow their audience and content concerning the massive NBA media rights deal. So far, leaning left has already proved fruitful for football and ratings, as a whole.

“The McAfee signing has been a revelation for them,” Cody said. “The new wave of sports media is personality-driven, bringing alternative audiences into their mainstream audience.”

Industry Audible

In February 2022, Omaha Productions inked an agreement with ESPN and The Walt Disney Company.

Led by Peyton Manning — a talent who’s had tremendous success as a quarterback in the NFL and a host on SNL — the Hall of Famer’s ability to improvise on the fly found new form through the breakout success of Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli in 2021.

Since then, the Super Bowl champ has continued to climb creatively. At ESPN, Omaha has helped ideate alternate broadcasts for UFC, college football, and even golf. Outside of Bristol, the production company caught fire through 2023’s Quarterback on Netflix.

When it came to courting basketball’s most creative content creator, game instantly recognized game.

“We clicked immediately,” Kenny said.

“They understand the power of creators today,” said Cody. “For them to add production value and a lens on distribution? It’s very mutually beneficial.”

On the outside, a 47-year-old football great from New Orleans and a 27-year-old YouTuber from Chicago might not seem to have much in common. Dig deeper, and a shared ethos of creativity, sense of humor, and sports smarts place each entity and their respective brands as two peas in a pod.

“Our whole mission at Enjoy Basketball is no hot takes,” said Cole. “Let’s focus on the game, uplifting the players, and positivity. Omaha stands for the same values, and they loved our mission.”

Even so, it was the former NFL MVP who had to pitch a content creator 20 years his junior.

“One of the things that made us make our decision was a text message from Peyton,” said Kenny. “He mentioned how big it was for him to bring people to his team that are about empowering the game. When you watch The Manningcast and a quarterback throws an interception? They don’t look at it just like this quarterback messed up, they figure out why it happened and praise the defensive scheme.”

This fall, the stars aligned.

Months after the free agency frenzy in Vegas, the Through the Wire cast and Omaha founder met in Colorado to produce their first project: the trailer for Numbers on the Board.

“We were in Denver for the ring ceremony for the Nuggets, and we got the opportunity to shoot with Peyton,” begins Kenny. “Me and all the guys were nervous because Peyton is one of the greatest of all time. He one-taked every single line.”

After the shoot in the Mile High City, Peyton chopped it up with Kenny and crew about hoops, football, and life. From there, the set was stamped, but the expectations also became real.

“Most people recognize that Omaha and ESPN are the cream of the crop,” said Kenny. “When you grow up, you turn on the TV for sports, and ESPN is the place you go to first. It was always a childhood dream to work for the network. You see Stuart Scott, Stephen A. Smith? Man, one day, it would be cool to be in that infrastructure, and we’re there now.”

Still Striving

Kenny Beecham is officially in the big leagues, but his ascent is far from solo.

Backed by the Hock brothers, who have managed him for four years, the Enjoy Basketball x ESPN x Omaha Productions podcast, Numbers on the Board, will still feature Pierre Andresen, Mike Heard, and Darrick Miller. Though NotB in both YouTube and audio forms is the foundation of this new partnership, the creation of additional digital shows, alternate broadcasts, and branded content is also on the table.

“We’re going to play our strengths first and foremost, and that’s YouTube,” Cody said. “There’s a lot of conversations about doing interesting things on linear for the show and Kenny.”

For those unfamiliar with showbiz lingo, linear means TV. In this case, TV means the ESPN network we all grew up on.

While branching out through Beecham and his Enjoy Basketball roster are all part of the Disney company’s grander plan to remain relevant to the youth through streaming services and online platforms, the head of the 44-year-old snake is still sizzling Stephen A. Smith moments on First Take and live broadcast of NBA, NFL, and NCAA action.

Ahead of the deal, Kenny has already appeared alongside Stephen A. on First Take after guesting on the industry vet’s podcast. The 12 minutes on TV still register as groundbreaking and surreal to Kenny, though his performance proved him right at home.

Like Smith, the team at Enjoy Basketball already views Kenny as a franchise player on any platform.

“We see him as a generational talent,” Cody said. “The distribution and eyeballs we’re going to attract going forward? The rest of the world that doesn’t know him already is going to be like, ‘This is my guy.’ The way he’s covering the game is really unique, he’s a special talent.”

In recent years, Kenny and his team at Enjoy Basketball have built a brand that not only hits homers on YouTube videos but has grown massively through newsletters and branded apparel. For the Hock brothers, the ultimate goal is to make Kenny the North Star of Enjoy Basketball and create a universe similar to The Ringer or Meadowlark Media.

“Most of them are personality-driven at the top,” said Cody. “We see similarities between Kenny sitting in that same position and building a network and distribution center around him. How do we put a brand around him similar to Pat McAfee, Bill Simmons, and Dan LeBetard? How do we build his career sitting atop as the talent but allow a platform for him to produce and direct?”

By working with ESPN and Omaha, Kenny will be front-facing on a bigger stage while still having the space to curate Enjoy Basketball content behind the scenes.

It’s the next chapter in elevating Enjoy Basketball as a business and Kenny Beecham as a thought leader.

“I’ve always strived for what seem like unattainable goals,” Kenny said. “Now, my goal is to be one of the top minds in the basketball world. I think that having these ties to Omaha and ESPN is the best way to make that a reality. There’s only so much I can do without a larger platform, and ESPN is the largest platform I can get.”

With the backing of ESPN, he has a chance to be recognized as one of roundball’s best philosophers in 2024. Perhaps “one of” isn’t ambitious enough.

“I want to be No. 1,” said Kenny. “It’s gonna be a journey, it’s gonna be extremely hard, and it’s gonna be extremely unlikely. But I feel like if I don’t have a goal that’s unlikely? Then I’m selling myself short.”

To be No. 1, he’ll have to continue to outwork and outpace the competition. To be recognized as No. 1 by industry peers and national media, he’ll have to increase his airtime on ESPN’s most prized live TV real estate.

The latter is perhaps the biggest challenge in a space dominated by journalists twice his age and athletes already known nationally for their court resumes. Kenny is cognizant of the challenge but not deterred.

“I didn’t go to school to be a journalist; I’m just an NBA fan that makes videos in my basement,” said Kenny. “I don’t know how much I’ll be respected in the linear world, considering I don’t have that background that most people fight for. But I’m going to try my damndest to get the respect of everybody just by being good at what I do.”

Just days into the new job, Kenny remains the same relatable hoops fan despite the elevated platform. The morning of our conversation, he’s still reviewing notes from a slate of 14 NBA games, headlined by an instant classic matchup between Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The generational battle brought out the best of both competitors, each elevating their intensity and debuting moves unseen thanks to the primetime platform blessed by brighter lights.

“I had a feeling it was going to be a great game,” said Kenny. “There’s something about national TV.”

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The post Kenny Beecham’s Next Big Move appeared first on Boardroom.

Just after All-Star Weekend 2024, the Golden State Warriors and Steve Kerr reportedly agreed to a two-year, $35 million contract extension that makes him the highest-paid coach by average annual value at $17.5 million per year. With his older agreement set to expire after this season, the new deal lines Kerr up with the end of star Stephen Curry‘s current contract.

This news comes less than two months after the Miami Heat extended their head coach Erik Spoelstra to the tune of eight years, $120 million, the most money committed to an NBA coach ever. Considering his peers regard him as one of the top 15 coaches in the history of the league, the extension between Miami and Spo felt inevitable.

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Both of these moves came after an offseason that saw the Phoenix Suns move on from head coach Monty Williams, only to see him close a massive deal with the Detroit Pistons worth six years, $78.5 million. With their new deals in place, both Spoelstra and Williams launched into the top three when it comes to the highest-paid coaches in the NBA, but with Kerr’s deal now in place, Monty finds himself

Neither coach, however, is No. 1 on that list. Boardroom reveals which NBA coach tops them all, as well as who else fills out the rest of the top 10 regarding coaches’ contracts.

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Top 5 Highest-paid NBA Coaches

NBA coach salary data via Sportico.

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Less than two weeks after his 39th birthday, LeBron James continues to dominate on and off the court. The Los Angeles Lakers‘ ubiquity will now further extend to the memorabilia space with LeBron signing a multi-year trading card partnership deal with Fanatics Collectibles, the company announced Wednesday at 6:23 a.m. PT, matching the two numbers he’s worn during his all-time great NBA career.

James teased his 159 million Instagram followers about the partnership on Monday, but we now have some details surrounding the deal.

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As part of this year’s 2023-24 Bowman University Chrome Basketball set hitting stores on Jan. 19, there will be a one-of-one autographed card featuring James in his St. Vincent-St. Mary’s high school jersey and his son Bronny in his USC jersey. It’s reportedly the first time James is autographing an NBA card since 2014 with Upper Deck. The 100-player set will also feature women’s hoops superstars Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers.

“As someone who appreciates all the moments, big and small, along the journey, I’m excited to share more with my fans through this partnership with Fanatics,” James said. “In sports, there is so much greatness to celebrate, and I’ve always been one to take a moment to recognize that in athletes at the top of their games. It’s all about celebrating the journey and enjoying those moments, with many more to come.”

Additionally, LeBron narrated a short video titled “Origin of Greatness” for the partnership launch. The video features the first moments of Fanatics-aligned athletes like Clark, CJ Stroud, Victor Wembanyama, Ronald Acuña Jr., Caleb Williams, Julio Rodriguez, LeBron, and Bronny, showing their corresponding Fanatics cards.

“We are both thrilled and honored to have LeBron join the Fanatics family,” said Mike Mahan, Fanatics Collectibles’ CEO. “Our goal is to push the envelope of where the hobby can go and are excited about how our collaboration with one of the best athletes in the world will continue to ignite fan and collector passion.”

With LeBron joining the fold, Tom Brady creating bespoke what-if baseball commercials, and NIL deals with future basketball stars like Dylan Harper, Fanatics Collectibles continues to build momentum into the new year.

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LeBron James is signing a multi-year trading card partnership deal with Fanatics Collectibles, the sports memorabilia company announced Wednesday at 6:23 a.m. PT, matching the two numbers King James has worn during his all-time great NBA career. As part of this year’s 2023-24 Bowman University Chrome Basketball set hitting stores later this month, there will be a one-of-one autographed card featuring the Lakers star in his St. Vincent-St. Mary’s high school jersey and his oldest son Bronny in his USC jersey. The 100-player set will also feature women’s college hoops superstars Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers.

Boardroom’s Shlomo Sprung has more on the LeBron James x Fanatics partnership.

Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Joins Star-studded BodyArmor Roster

Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has inked a multi-year deal with BodyArmor, the sports drink brand confirmed Wednesday. Teaming up with the Montreal-born All-Star coincides with the company’s first international rollout, with its product now available across Canada. When talking about legendary BodyArmor investor Kobe Bryant and fellow endorser Ronald Acuña Jr., who inspired his off-field ambitions and strategy, Guerrero Jr said, “Off the field, I’m just trying to keep the same mindset that those two guys have.” In addition to BodyArmor, Guerrero Jr. has endorsement deals with Wilson, Jordan Brand, and Topps. Other BodyArmor athletes include Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Alex Morgan, Christian McCaffrey, and CeeDee Lamb.

For more on Vladdy’s deal with BodyArmor, check out Boardroom’s Shlomo Sprung full breakdown.

Nick Kyrgios, Naomi Osaka’s Hana Kuma Launching New Video Podcast Series

Nick Kyrgios is leveraging his meddling reputation in tennis to spark deep conversation outside of it. The Aussie tennis star is collaborating with Naomi Osaka‘s Emmy-nominated media company, Hana Kuma, to launch a new video podcast series titled “Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios.” Launching on Jan. 24, Kyrgios will speak with the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Jemele Hill, Jay Shetty, Frances Tiafoe, Rainn Wilson, Gary Vaynerchuk, Mike Tyson, and Osaka herself, who is making a return to the court after welcoming a daughter last year. Audiences in the US can tune in via the Tennis Channel, and in Europe, one can tune in on Discovery+ and Eurosport as well as on Hana Kuma’s YouTube channel and podcast platforms.

‘Oppenheimer’ Helps IMAX Crack $1 Billion in 2023 Revenue

Oppenheimer cleaned up at the Golden Globes over the weekend, and it shouldn’t be surprising considering the film played a large part in IMAX dominating the box office in 2023. IMAX had its second-highest grossing year in history last year, hauling in $1.06 billion thanks to movies playing on their screens across the globe. Variety notes the biographical thriller, directed by Christopher Nolan, is now the highest-performing movie to be released on IMAX in 2023, earning $183.2 million from screenings. Revered for his lengthy and mind-bending projects, Nolan said he preferred watching the film in an IMAX theater, which likely led fans to seek out a participating theater to see for themselves. IMAX will have more than 100 films playing on their screens in 2024, including Dune — Part Two, Joker: Folie à Deux, and Deadpool 3.

Tom Cruise & Warner Bros. to Jointly Make Movies in 2024

Tom Cruise and Warner Bros. Discovery are joining forces to develop and produce original and franchise theatrical films starting this year. Although little was divulged about specific projects, the veteran actor and Warner Bros. have a decades-long history. Cruise has previously starred in classic films produced and distributed by the studio, like Edge of Tomorrow, Magnolia, Eyes Wide Shut, Risky Business, and more. “Excited to share this news. I look forward to making great movies together!” Cruise wrote on his Instagram, alongside a photo of the announcement.

SAG-AFTRA Signs Agreement to Set Conditions for Use of AI in Gaming

SAG-AFTRA signed an agreement with an AI voiceover studio that sets conditions for the use of artificial intelligence in video games. Announced Tuesday during a press event at CES 2024, the deal permits SAG-AFTRA members to work with Replica Studios to license their voice to game studios. According to the Guild, this covers licensed voices “in video game development and other interactive media projects from pre-production to final release.” In addition to establishing minimum provisions, the compromise also aims to ensure performer consent and negotiation for uses of their digital voice double. It requires that performers have the opportunity to opt out of its continued use in new projects.

The post LeBron & Bronny to be Featured on Fanatics Trading Card in New Partnership appeared first on Boardroom.

UPDATE: On Jan. 16, 2024, The NBA announced that the Intuit Dome will host the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

Steve Ballmer’s $2 billion new arena for the LA Clippers will open its doors this summer. The 18,000-seat Intuit Dome in Inglewood will give the Clips a 1.1 million square foot new home beginning in August that promises to change the sporting and entertainment landscape in Los Angeles.

Last month, Boardroom had the opportunity to tour the sprawling arena site just nine months before its opening. There, I got an inside look at the world’s premier arena opening for 2024.

Let’s take a look.

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Since it is Los Angeles, the first major visible structure completed was this 4,200-car parking garage. Security will check fans’ tickets upon exiting the garage. Then, they will proceed across a pedestrian walkway to an escalator, taking them to the arena’s main outdoor entrance plaza.

The Clippers are calling this 80,000-square-foot area in front of the arena The Plaza or The Commons. The escalator from the pedestrian bridge leads down to the bleachers, which will include a concert stage for watch parties and performances, with a view of the largest outdoor 4K LED screen in Los Angeles. 

The Plaza will also feature the main security entrance in front, to the right of the Clippers’ retail store. There will also be three bars and restaurants. But the pièce de résistance is an outdoor basketball court that could become one of the city’s most exciting pickup hoop spots, especially on game days.

After walking inside through a wide driveway that leads underground, fans are treated to an expansive arena view. The concrete flooring was recently installed, allowing for accelerated installation for the acre-long halo board scoreboard by some of the 2,000 construction workers actively building Intuit Dome. Halo board parts and panels, each installed piece by piece, will encompass the area.

Like the world’s top soccer supporter sections, The Wall will feature 51 rows of seating uninterrupted by tiers or suites. The bottom section will be removable for concerts or other arena events. The wall of sound will not only allow the fans’ noise levels to be more impactful, but the steep sections will give fans vastly better and closer court views.

Plus, it will provide LA fans with a one-of-a-kind experience. Row 20 in this area will be 45 feet closer to the court than similar seats at Crypto.com Arena.

In addition to 10 bungalow suites near courtside, the baseline opposite The Wall will feature a pair of Courtside Cabanas. The Steps lead to an expansive indoor suite and lounge area leading to rows of exclusive private seating. The seats near the Clippers’ entrance tunnel give fans up-close-and-personal access to their favorite athletes.

This tunnel leads not only to the Clippers’ locker room, but also to their practice facility and team offices. No NBA team will have their headquarters closer than the Clips when Intuit Dome opens.

A walk to the end of the tunnel leads you to the team facilities with practice courts, a weight room, a sports medicine clinic, hot and cold tubs, and the works. The fact that this will all be on the same level as the game court so close to the action will certainly give the Clips a competitive advantage moving forward.

Executive team offices will overlook the practice facility. One I saw lit up on the second floor will be Steve Ballmer’s office.

The view from the top of the upper bowl at center court is better than most good nosebleed seats around the NBA. Intuit Dome will also feature a JBL sound system with low sound reflection and effective sound absorption materials to provide some of the league’s best acoustics.

In addition, the two ends of this halo board will be retractable for improved sightlines during games and concerts.

The upper bowl highlights the stark contrast between how steep the seats are at The Wall. And the first 20 rows of The Wall will be removable to facilitate the arena’s concert setup.

Walking around the upper concourse, the building’s steel-paneled shell gives way to an open-air area that’s there by design. The structure is part of Intuit Dome’s plans to earn LEED Platinum certification by Day 1.

From the jump, the Clippers set a lofty goal of crafting a fully electric venue with zero fossil fuel usage. An estimated 260 solar panels will provide 13 megawatts of battery energy, which the team calls the most of any arena on earth. Because of this, Intuit Dome should be able to sustain itself off the LA area power grid for seven hours, which is enough to fit a couple of NBA games with some time to spare.

The Intuit Dome tour ends outside, in full view of what will become an escalator that leads directly to the upper level shown in one of the above renderings. The glass structure will house the team’s business offices near the practice courts, finally giving the Clippers their own brand-new venue to call home.

The world-class facility for the team and its fans will open a new chapter this summer.

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The post Inside One of 2024’s Most-anticipated New Sports Venues: The Intuit Dome appeared first on Boardroom.

As the holiday season leads to the calendar turning from 2023 to 2024, there are certain tentpole events in the sports business world that we’re already greatly anticipating.

The NBA is expected to sign a new media contract that would begin in 2025 and be worth vastly more than the $2.67 billion it makes on its current deal. After the Finals in June, local TV contracts for 15 NBA teams under Bally Sports will expire, ushering in a summer of media-free agency we haven’t seen in a long time. That same month, soccer’s highly anticipated European championships in Germany will be followed shortly thereafter in late July by the Summer Olympics in Paris, where the US men’s basketball team will look to avenge a fourth-place finish at this year’s World Cup.

A college football national champion will be crowned in January, the last title in the four-team College Football Playoff era before it expands to 12 in 2025. In February, the Super Bowl comes to Las Vegas for the first time. It could make the final year Vegas doesn’t have an MLB team, with the Oakland A’s set to move when their Oakland Coliseum lease expires next October. It’s an exciting time for a city that hosted its first-ever Formula 1 race in 2023 and houses the two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.

Enough talk, let’s look into the Boardroom crystal ball and make 10 sports business predictions for 2024!