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

Every end of the week, 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:

🏆 Cooper Flagg was named NBA Rookie of The Year and his brand partners Gatorade, New Balance, AT&T and of course the Dallas Mavericks celebrated the moment.

💰 Stephen Curry’s sneaker auction, in partnership with Sotheby’s, sold all 81 pairs, generating over $1.7 million for his charity — Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation.

4️⃣ Ja Morant teased his upcoming Ja 4 signature sneaker with Nike Basketball, following up on the success of his previous Ja 3 shoe.

🏜️ Cam Wilder is the first creator to launch his own AAU tournament, RWE Invitational, after years of pioneering the creator-led AAU trend.

🏙️ Nike Basketball and EYBL are launching their first-ever City Series, bringing the EYBL experience to different communities like the DMV, where top local AAU programs will compete over two days.

🌵 adidas Basketball and Jalen Williams are releasing the Harden Volume 10 JDub Thunderbolt PE, highlighting Jalen Williams’ journey from Chandler, Arizona to NBA champion.

🌟 Potential number one NBA draft pick AJ Dybantsa reveals his new signature logo as he continues his partnership with Nike Basketball.

🥃 Maker’s Mark is partnering with Kelsey Plum on a limited-edition Private Selection bourbon called “Yam Jam by Kelsey Plum”.

👟 VJ Edgecombe debuted the Anthony Edwards 2 3SSB colorway, an exclusive made for adidas Basketball’s grassroots AAU circuit.

💜 Nike basketball is honoring the legacy of Gigi Bryant by dropping a special-edition Kobe 3 Low Proto” “Mambacita”.

🏀 Wilson is celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the WNBA with a special edition Court Origins Game Basketball that delivers a balance of nostalgic design and modern construction.

🐜 Before getting injured, Anthony Edwards debuted his next Adidas sneaker during warmups, the Believe That 1, which is a take-down model (more affordable, lower-tier version of his current signature shoe).

⚡️ Oklahoma City Thunder forward Isaiah Hartenstein produced and starred in a new documentary, “The Oklahoma Standard,” available on his YouTube channel, which revisits the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

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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:

🤝 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 | 🏀💡👨🏻‍💻