Category: basketball

basketball, business

Why Candace Parker Does Everything ‘With a Purpose’

Candace Parker had just finished filming content for NBA 2K20, the latest edition of 2K Games’ basketball franchise. It was a banner moment for Parker and women’s basketball players as the video game publisher was including all 12 WNBA teams in the series for the first time.

Still donning the full body motion capture suit, Parker chatted with 2K engineers at the company’s headquarters in Novato, California, for an hour about the nuances of women’s basketball and the WNBA as both star athlete and game creators knew they couldn’t just add a ponytail to a character in a WNBA jersey and truly call it women’s basketball.

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basketball, business

Showtime Basketball Succeeding by Empowering Athletes to Be Raw, Authentic Selves

Over the years, Showtime Sports has amassed a library of documentaries, especially about basketball, including Kobe Bryant’s Muse (2015), One & Done/Ben Simmons (2016), Shut Up and Dribble (2018), The Resurgence: DeMarcus Cousins (2018), and Quiet Storm: The Ron Artest Story (2019).

In an effort to further its documentary strategy of focusing on conversations and issues at the intersection of sports, culture, society and politics while leveraging both premium linear TV as well as social media, Showtime Basketball was born in 2019.

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basketball, business

Jayson Tatum, Rory McIlroy, Connor McDavid Among New Hyperice Investors

Two months after announcing a strategic shift from being a sports recovery brand to a holistic high-performance wellness one, Hyperice continues its growth and evolution following new investments from Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, four-time PGA Tour major champion Rory McIlroy, Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, and Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.

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basketball, business

No Slowing Down for Rich Kleiman, Thirty Five Ventures Co-Founder

Rich Kleiman has always been fascinated with business.

Growing up on the Upper West Side in New York City, a curious Kleiman would venture into Baronets on 83rd and Broadway, finding the stationary store’s proprietors to be “the most incredible people ever” because they ran the store, had access to the cash register, set the culture and were part of the neighborhood. Kleiman was equally intrigued by the hordes of people rushing to and from office buildings with briefcases in tow as he explored the Concrete Jungle in the 1980s.

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basketball, business

How Sports Fueled Michelob Ultra’s Growth During Pandemic

When the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020, like many brands and organizations, Michelob Ultra needed to figure out how to pivot during the uncertain times.

The brand doubled down its efforts investing heavily in encouraging healthy and active lifestyles—especially at a time where activity was limited with stay-at-home mandates in place—while also broadening its category approach into the sports world.

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basketball, business

CJ McCollum Chats Investment in LaceClips, Upcoming NBA Season

CJ and Errick McCollum spent countless hours on the basketball court growing up in Canton, Ohio. Whether it was blacktop or hardwood, the basketball court became their gym for workouts and training sessions as the brothers honed their skills in the hopes of becoming professionals. It also served as their courtroom as 1-on-1 games helped settle debates, including who was the better player.

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basketball, business

LaMelo Ball Joins Powerhandz as General Partner

Less than one month after adding NBA rookie of the year to his résumé, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is adding general partner and board member to it as well.

Ball, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2020 NBA draft, joins double-minority-owned athletic training and rehabilitation product tech platform Powerhandz as part of its $3 million Series A fundraise.

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basketball, business

Sabrina Ionescu, Dick’s Sporting Goods Supply Young Athletes with Equipment

Sabrina Ionescu just wanted to play basketball. She started her foray into the sport at 3 years old by “just throwing the ball around.” From there she gained experience playing on her brothers’ 10-foot hoop. In middle school, she would bring her sneakers with her as she watched twin brother Eddy play on the boys’ team, not only because the school didn’t field a girls’ program, but because the boys’ team would need extra bodies from time to time.

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basketball, business, football

Patricof Co Career Development Services Empowers and Supports Athletes

Paul Posluszny had a plan: play football for as long as he could, go to business school and get a job.

A second-round selection (No. 34 overall) in the 2007 NFL Draft, the former middle linebacker played 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars before announcing his retirement in March 2018. While the Jaguars’ No. 2 all-time leading tackler is done chasing down ball carriers, Posluszny is currently in pursuit of his MBA from Carnegie Mellon University.

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basketball, business, football

PepsiCo Strikes Deal With SWAC to Support HBCUs

Derek Lewis is a proud Hampton University alumnus. The South Division president at PepsiCo Beverages North America said his experience at the Virginia institution taught him what is possible when people support each other and how influential a strong network can be.

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