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

If you’re newly subscribed, I’m a brand marketer, creator, and entrepreneur with extensive experience in the sports industry, having worked with iconic brands like Jordan Brand, SLAM and the NBA.

Each Friday morning, I break down what you missed in basketball culture in under a 3-minute read, providing you with the latest insights into marketing and creator trends across the industry.

Let’s get right into it…

FAST BREAK

Here’s what you missed this week:

🩺 Underdog partnered with the league's villain, Dillon Brooks, for an Unethical Hoops campaign, a spin-off from the childhood Operation game…and days later, SGA's lawyers issued a cease and desist letter to Underdog Sports.

🍟 Devin Booker and Ronald McDonald are linking up for a special edition Book 2 collaboration between Nike Basketball and McDonald's as the McD’s in Sedona, Arizona, is famous for being the only location in the world with turquoise arches instead of the brand’s signature golden yellow.

⛪️ USC design student and creator Asher Hyde has gone viral for his AI-generated spec ads for a “Just Pray” campaign featuring Victor Wembanyama and the nuns seen at the recent Spurs playoff home game.

🛩️ Chase surprised New York Knicks fans, celebrities, and influencers with the experience of a lifetime by flying them out to Cleveland for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. They partnered with hyperlocal brands like New York or Nowhere and Siegelman Stable, who gifted exclusive products to the guests.

🚛 Foot Locker took over the fan zone outside Madison Square Garden with their Deli & Grocery food truck, serving New York Knicks colorway Air Force 1s.

⛓️ Fresh off an Eastern Conference Finals sweep, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordyn Woods pulled up in Nolita to see celebrity jeweler and creator Greg Yuna for some content and new pieces to celebrate the moment.

🌍 The NBA continues to expand its global footprint as the league announced two regular season matchup in Paris and Manchester, with Wemby and the Spurs taking on the Pelicans on January 14th and 17th, 2027.

👽 In Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, Victor Wembanyama debuted a new Nike G.T. Hustle 3 PE, branded with the tagline "Be Unique Every Day."

🌡️ Nike Basketball is starting to rollout the LeBron NXXT Gen by JuJu Watkins campaign, marking her as the first athlete to co-create a shoe in the NXXT series.

🏀 Lethal Shooter partnered with State Farm to continue their “Red Nets" community outreach initiative, aiming to restore neighborhood basketball courts across the country by replacing damaged or missing hoops with brand-new, bright red nets.

💨 Sportsball broke down the data behind WNBA’s gravity in a new video partnership with Amazon Web Services.

🌸 Nike Basketball and Foot Locker announced their next edition of the Unseen Hours pack (GT Future and GT Cut 1), with this latest collection paying homage to the DMV.

🐜 adidas continues to promote their AE1 silhoutte as they announce the Anthony Edwards 1 cleat with Jacksonville Jaguars star WR/DB Travis Hunter.

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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 | 🏀💡👨🏻‍💻