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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:

🤯 Cam Hazzard, a 21-year-old pro dunker and triple major with a 4.0 GPA at Abilene Christian University, has won Shaq’s Dunkman League and (imo) showcased some new dunks that the world has never been seen before.

🔥 The Miami Heat briefly posted and then deleted a streaming link for a "LeBron James Introductory Press Conference," which went viral, and then they went viral again for posting a job for a Director of YouTube Strategy. Marketing creator Jack Appleby and founder of @howtohoopforever shared some great tips for brands to prevent big social media mistakes like this.

🎮 NBA 2K27 unveiled the game’s new cover athletes ahead of the worldwide launch on September 4th, including Victor Wembanyama, Caitlin Clark, and Derrick Rose.

🎙️ Gilbert Arenas' podcast, "Gil's Arena," is leaving Underdog and joining Playmaker following a public split and departure from Underdog.

👟 Nike Basketball dropped their White Label LX Pack today, ahead of WNBA All-Star Weekend, including all white pairs of the Ja 3, Sabrina 4, A’Two and Book 2.

👉 Sophie Cunningham's pointing finger became an instant viral meme, but the WNBPA has banned the league's partners like 2K, Panini, and Lids from using the gesture to avoid profiting off the confrontational moment.

🇬🇧 Jayson Tatum headed out to Europe with Jordan Brand as he touched down in London for The One, the brand’s global 1-on-1 basketball tournament.

2️⃣ Converse Basketball is releasing the Shai 001 Lace Up in two different colorways, marking the athlete’s final shoes with the brand before he transitions in-house to Nike Basketball.

🔟 James Harden linked up with Rayasianboy as they dropped Ray’s Vol 10 PE with adidas Basketball at Fanatics Fest.

🇵🇷 LaMelo Ball and Puma Hoops announced an exclusive pair of MB.06 Puerto Rico colorway, available only in PR beginning July 31st.

⚡️ adidas Basketball introduced their newest shoe model, Crazy Energy, a lightweight shoe that’ll be worn by adidas athletes Kelsey Plum, Olivia Miles, Aliyah Boston, Taylor Kinney and Mikel Brown Jr.

🍑 Nike Basketball’s premier grassroots program held their inaugural EYBL Awards, with top-ranked player Cayden Daughtry becoming the first 17U MVP; his coach, Steven Reece, won Coach of the Year, and their team, the Florida Rebels, claimed the prestigious Peach Jam 17U Championship.

🏀 Unrivaled is gearing up for their Season 3 and is planning expanding their footprint with tour games in potential markets such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and Denver.

🪪 Cooper Flagg unveiled his signed NBA Debut Patch Card with Topps on stage at Fanatics Fest.

🪙 Ripple, the company that founded the XRP cryptocurrency, has signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with the University of Kansas, placing the XRP logo on the jerseys of Kansas Basketball and their other athletic teams.

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THE POINT FORWARD

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POST-GAME

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

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👋 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 | 🏀💡👨🏻‍💻