In partnership with

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 get started…

FAST BREAK

Here’s what you missed this week:

🗽 Foot Locker brought its mobile truck to Harlem, the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn for an early release of the Nike Kobe V Protro “NY vs NY”.

🎨 Fanatics partnered with artists @distortedd_ and @kingsaladeen to create limited edition Jalen Brunson signed 1/1 art jerseys that were only available for sale at Game 4 in MSG. 

🚉 The New York Transit Museum and MTA repainted the subway entrances around Madison Square Garden in Knicks blue and orange while also releasing this limited edition collectible to celebrate the New York Knicks' Finals run.

🚛Michael Rubin’s company, Fanatics, also had their Fan Wagon truck visit different NYC neighborhoods with legendary Knicks fan Spike Lee to distribute free Knicks gear.

👽 Ahead of NBA Finals Game 4, Overtime took to the streets of New York City with a Wemby-inspired alien invasion content stunt.

🅿️ NikeNYC took over the iconic parking garage across the street from Madison Square Garden for a Park N’ Shop pop-up store featuring exclusive Knicks t-shirts.

🎬 Ben Stiller has been seen sitting courtside at every Knicks home game and has been posting viral clips from his seat. He just confirmed this content is being filmed for an HBO documentary on this year's NBA Finals.

👑 Time just released their first-ever Time100 Sports list, highlighting the most influential people in sports, and named LeBron the Athlete of The Century.

🤳 Paige Bueckers took some iconic photos with the DoorDash delivery driver in her new spot with her brand partner.

🚪 Nick Knows Ball, one of the fastest rising basketball creators is on an epic NBA Finals brand partnership run with NBA Finals-themed content featuring C4 Energy, Lids, NBA Store, Snapple, and more!

🪑The Realest, a sports collectible authentication marketplace founded by DJ Skee, is auctioning Taylor Swift’s courtside seats from Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

🎽 Two NBA teams unveiled new designs this week, with the Minnesota Timberwolves introducing new uniforms, a logo, and courts, and the Houston Rockets revealing new uniforms and an updated logo.

🌍 adidas Basketball athletes VJ Edgecombe, Franz Wagner, and Mike James attended the brand’s Eurocamp, Europe’s premier basketball scouting event.

How can AI power your income?

Ready to transform artificial intelligence from a buzzword into your personal revenue generator

HubSpot’s groundbreaking guide "200+ AI-Powered Income Ideas" is your gateway to financial innovation in the digital age.

Inside you'll discover:

• A curated collection of 200+ profitable opportunities spanning content creation, e-commerce, gaming, and emerging digital markets—each vetted for real-world potential

• Step-by-step implementation guides designed for beginners, making AI accessible regardless of your technical background

• Cutting-edge strategies aligned with current market trends, ensuring your ventures stay ahead of the curve

Download your guide today and unlock a future where artificial intelligence powers your success. Your next income stream is waiting.

Get Your Guide

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 obsesses over athlete marketing:

The Roscoe Combine, created by marketing strategist and creator Chad Howell, ranks the 2026 NBA Draft prospects by their brand marketing potential (rather than on-court performance potential).

Real-World Ads, Simple to Run

With AdQuick, executing Out Of Home campaigns is as easy as running digital ads. Plan, deploy, and measure your real-world advertising effortlessly — so your team can scale campaigns and maximize impact without the headaches.

Visit AdQuick.com

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 | 🏀💡👨🏻‍💻