🧡 Here's what you missed in Basketball Culture - 1/30/26

Luka Dončić Invites Fans Into His Own World

Author

Jeff Chen
January 30, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

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Welcome to today’s edition of The Baseline!

Every end of the week, I break down what you missed in basketball culture. 

This 3-minute read shares the latest marketing and creator insights across the industry.

Let’s jump right into it…

FAST BREAK

Here’s what you missed this week:

🌍 Luka Dončić launched 77X World, a first-of-its-kind, athlete-owned fan universe that provides exclusive content, merchandise and interactive digital experiences.

📺 Caitlin Clark will make her debut as a TV broadcaster as she will be a special contributor to NBC’s “Basketball Night in America” for the February 1 Lakers vs. Knicks game.

🧴 Kevin Durant transformed ash into cash, as he flipped the jokes about his dry skin into a new brand partnership opportunity with CeraVe.

💰 Anta, the largest sportswear group in China, just acquired a 29% stake in Puma, as the company continues to expand their global footwear and apparel presence.

💸 The NBPA Foundation launched its Fine(d) & Philanthropic campaign, matching up to $25,000 in grants each time an active NBA player donates to a qualified charity—with all of this grant money coming from player fines.

🌹 After having his jersey retired by the Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose announced his new coffee table book “The Poohprint” in collaboration with publisher Assouline.

🔥 The Portland Fire unveiled their new uniforms ahead of their 2026 WNBA debut, featuring jersey patch sponsor Chime.

🎙️ LeBron’s podcast, Mind The Game, returned after a short break with its newest episode featuring Tyrese Haliburton, who shared untold stories about his injury, the NBA Finals, and his Olympic experience.

🏀 Mac McClung used a branded content video with VKTRY to announce that he will not participate in this year’s NBA Dunk Contest, ending his winning streak at a three-peat.

9️⃣ Bronny James debuted his signature logo on a pair of PEs in his Welcome Home return-game to Cleveland.

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THE POINT FORWARD

This is the section of our newsletter where I point out one thing worth sharing with someone in your network—whether it’s a job, a resource, or just an idea or inspiration.

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POST-GAME

Thanks for reading—I’ll see you back here next week!

And if you enjoyed reading today’s newsletter, please share it with one friend.

- Jeff Chen | 🏀💡👨🏻‍💻

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