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Welcome to the end of the week edition of The Baseline!

Every Friday morning, 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:

🧊 Drake released three albums at once, including the highly-anticipated ICEMAN, and then starred in a Nike commercial with Kevin Durant to “glaze the bro” on their new Nocta x KD19 shoes.

🏆 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named back-to-back NBA MVP, with his brand partners Converse and AT&T celebrating the moment while he gave out Audemars Piguet watches to all his teammates.

👽 Nike Basketball continues to demonstrate that supernatural entities do exist, and they even took shots at the competition after Wemby and the Spurs' victory over Antman and the Timberwolves.

☎️ adidas Basketball continues its rollout for the Anthony Edwards Believe That 1 sneaker, featuring its entire crew of brand athletes in a new 1-855-BLEEDAT video.

🕶️ Jaylen Brown launched a pair of his own signature glasses with Oakley, inspired by culture and rooted in creativity.

📢 The New York Knicks collaborated with actor and Knicks superfan Ben Stiller to voiceover their Eastern Conference Finals hype video.

🪐 The iconic original Space Jam movie starring Michael Jordan returned to theaters earlier this week for a one-night screening special for its 30th anniversary.

🔺 Jordan Brand teased its new Jordan Triangle sneaker, inspired by the infamous Triangle Offense, by blurring them in leaked photos of athletes Cameron Boozer and Sarah Strong working out in them.

🎨 Project Backboard announced its panel of judges for Season 4 of the Every Court Has A Story basketball court community renovation project: Justin Leusner, Simone Danielle, Hannah O’Flynn, and Jamiersen Green.

🧥 Streetwear brand Believe In Yourself honored Coach Dawn Staley with two 1-of-1 bespoke jackets to celebrate her legacy and historic career.

🏀 Spalding released their new smart basketball, Legacy TF1000 Indoor Game Basketball, which helps you track makes and misses and provides analytics on your jumper.

The AI Playbook for Video Teams That Can't Slow Down

Wistia's new AI Video Marketing Trends report shows how marketers are using AI to handle the unglamorous work, so creative energy stays where it matters.

Marketing leaders across industries are using AI to reach broader audiences, move faster, and extend the shelf life of every video they make. The report breaks down how AI is improving speed and output quality, helping teams keep up with demand and raise the bar while they're at it.

Because when every channel needs video, you need leverage, not another meeting that could've been an email. AI clears the runway so ideas actually take off.

See how top teams are using AI to iterate, refine, and ship while keeping a human grip on taste, voice, and strategy.

Get the Free Report

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.

Forward this to someone who loves technology and basketball analytics:

This video went viral with over 2M+ views, but check the replies, everyone was fascinated by the Noah Basketball technology (shout out OG Anunoby going 6/6 on his free throws though).

The Hustle: Claude Hacks For Marketers

Some people use Claude to write emails. Others use it to basically run their entire business while they play Wordle.

This isn't just ChatGPT's cooler cousin. It's the AI that's quietly revolutionizing how smart people work – writing entire business plans, planning marketing campaigns, and basically becoming the intern you never have to pay.

The Hustle's new guide shows you exactly how the AI-literate are leaving everyone else behind. Subscribe for instant access.

Get our Claude playbook

POST-GAME

Thanks for reading! Here are a few ways we can stay connected:

🤝 Partner With Me: I work with brands, athletes and creators across their brand strategy, digital media, creator programs, partnerships, and marketing growth. Interested in working together? Get in touch here.

📊 Be First: I’m building Future Blueprint Sports — the definitive discovery and intelligence platform for sports marketing and creator culture. Get early access today.

👋 Stay Connected: Enjoyed this newsletter? Share it with a friend or colleague. Also follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for more sports marketing and creator insights.

Thanks and see you next week!

- Jeff Chen | 🏀💡👨🏻‍💻