🧡 Here's what you missed in Basketball Culture - 6/26/26

ICYMI...catching you to everything you need to know!

Author

Jeff Chen
June 26, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

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

Next week I’m breaking down all the marketing moments from the NBA Draft but today I’ll share everything else you missed in basketball culture. 

Let’s get started…

FAST BREAK

Here’s what you missed this week:

👟 Nike Basketball partnered with select artists and creators to celebrate the Caitlin 1 sneaker unveil across hoops and sneaker culture.

📚 Jalen Brunson announced his debut children’s book, “Jalen Plays It All,” which will be illustrated by Neely Daggett and released next year by Feiwel & Friends.

🏀 With a voiceover from Kyrie Irving, the NBPA announced PLYRS UNTD, which will replace Think450 as the Players Association's consumer-facing brand that helps turn NBA players' influence into products, partnerships, content, licensing, and business ventures.

🐍 Nike Basketball announced the Kobe 4 Protro “Draft Pack” will drop on June 26, featuring 13 team-inspired pairs with wear-away finishes and a 14th and final pair in Lakers purple and gold.

🚊 The viral 34th Street subway station will remain Knicks-themed throughout the 2026-2027 NBA season in celebration of the championship team.

👛 Jordyn Woods' bag is being put on display at the Guggenheim Museum for a special 5-day exhibit to honor the Knicks' championship run lucky accessory.

🐉 House of The Dragon is hosting an NYC pop-up experience with the Iron Throne on display, and Karl-Anthony Towns and the rest of the Knicks took their rightful seats as kings of the league.

💰 adidas Basketball signed #2 NBA Draft Pick Darryn Peterson to a long-term deal, making his contract one of the top 5 richest rookie shoe deals in NBA history.

🎡 Kyrie Irving, Anta, and his Uncle Drew Circuit announced the ANTALAND activation, a basketball culture experience during the NBA Summer League from July 9-12 at Coronado High School in Las Vegas.

🗽 Skechers announced a limited edition pre-order for their SKX Nexus "NYC Blue" PE sneaker, which OG Anunoby wore during his game-winning tip-in.

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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.

Forward this to the biggest Jay Z fan you know:

Jay-Z and Roc Nation are taking over NYC with a Reasonable Doubt 30th Anniversary pop-up exhibit, a custom “J” and “Z” subway takeover, limited edition Brooklyn Public Library cards, a Google Maps partnership, a special NYC fireworks show last night, and much more ahead of his upcoming Yankee Stadium shows.

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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 | 🏀💡👨🏻‍💻

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