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NBA Draft prodigy Wembanyama set for commercial bonanza
Victor Wembanyama is only 19 and has not played a minute in an NBA jersey but the French teenager is poised to land an array of lucrative deals likely to make him one of the most commercially successful athletes in history. Wembanyama will take center stage at the NBA Draft in Brooklyn on Thursday when the gifted 7ft 4in (2.24m) center widely viewed as a once-in-a-generation basketball talent is set to be chosen with the number one pick by the San Antonio Spurs. Already, Wembanyama is being tipped to potentially land an improved $100 million contract with US sporting goods behemoth Nike, eclipsing the $90 million offered to LeBron James when he entered the league in 2003. If the $100 million figure comes to fruition, it would be the biggest contract ever handed to a player who has not yet played in the NBA. Sonny Vaccaro, the legendary 83-year-old marketing executive who signed Michael Jordan to Nike and Kobe Bryant to Adidas, believes Wembanyama's unique talent could command "historic" riches. "This is unique. But a deserved unique," Vaccaro told AFP. "In my lifetime of evaluating and making financial prices for athletes, I've never seen anything like it. This kid will make history." Nike, which already has a deal with Wembanyama, has hinted at its strategy to make the Frenchman a global superstar. "Think (Victor Wembanyama) will change basketball? Think bigger," Nike wrote in a social media post after this year's draft order was revealed last month. Wembanyama's mammoth Nike deal will likely be the first of many, according to Steve Rosner of 16W Marketing, who predicts multi-million dollar deals in areas such as trading cards and other derivative products. Unique endorser "Victor is going to be one of those guys that are going to be able to have a nice endorsement portfolio before he ever plays a second in the NBA," Rosner said. "Because of all the promotion and the hype coming up leading up to this, he'll be a unique endorser as well, as far as being able to have these deals in place before he steps on an NBA court." In decades gone by, such a commercial bonanza for a foreign NBA player would have been unthinkable. Overseas stars such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Dirk Nowitzki, and Pau Gasol aroused little interest among sponsors. "Madison Avenue prefers an American guy," consultant Marty Blackman remarked in 1995 when commenting on how Olajuwon had failed to earn the sort of endorsement deals enjoyed by American players despite leading Houston to a second straight NBA championship. Victor Matheson, a professor at Holy Cross University, says that began to change in 2002 when China's Yao Ming entered the league. "Yao Ming was important, because not only was he a big name within the US, but he really opened up the Chinese market to the NBA as well," Matheson said. Today, the NBA's overseas fan base is larger than the entire population of the United States. According to Forbes magazine, Giannis Antetokounmpo, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and an NBA champion in 2021, earns more in off-court deals -- $45 million – than the salary paid to him by the Milwaukee Bucks of $42 million. "Victor can open up new markets," Matheson said. Rosner said Wembanyama's international profile is also likely to make him an attractive pitchman for multinationals such as Coca-Cola, McDonald's or Visa, who all signed deals with Yao. A world game now Twenty years ago, playing for a small-market NBA team such as San Antonio could have potentially diminished Wembanyama's commercial appeal. However, Vaccaro believes the global reach of the NBA and the rise of streaming and social networks have changed the dynamic. "It's a world game now, so it doesn't matter really," said Vaccaro. It may take time for Wembanyama to fully maximize his earning potential, though. The French prodigy and his entourage are in no hurry to cash in immediately. Wembanyama's agent, Bouna Ndiaye, who has represented numerous French NBA stars such as Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier, says the priority is basketball. "What we're trying to do, first of all, is make Victor rare," Ndiaye told ESPN. "We don't want him all over the place. We don't want to have 20 partners," Ndiaye said. "Victor is rejecting some rich, million-dollar deals right now because he wants to focus on basketball." Commercial partners, meanwhile, may also be reluctant to "give away the entire company to a player who actually hasn't played a single minute in the NBA", Matheson said. "I suspect they're going to be looking for a little bit more." Rosner, however, believes that if Wembanyama delivers on the court, commercial deals will be a formality. "Once he does everything on the court, then everything off the court will follow," Rosner said. Matheson echoed that position, stating that ultimately Wembanyama's fortune will be maximized through his achievements on the hardwood. "The reason that Jordan has become a billionaire is not that he signed one good deal but because his play over almost two decades meant that he could re-sign that deal and re-sign that deal and re-sign that deal," Matheson said. "In order to make LeBron James or Michael Jordan sort of money, it's not about signing that first deal. It's about showing what you can do actually on the court." The post NBA Draft prodigy Wembanyama set for commercial bonanza appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sixers sweep Nets to advance, Suns on brink as Heat burn Bucks
The Philadelphia 76ers shrugged off the absence of Joel Embiid to complete a 4-0 sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA playoffs on Saturday as the Phoenix Suns edged closer to a second-round berth by beating the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers advanced to an Eastern Conference semi-final showdown against either Boston or Atlanta with a dominant second-half display to seal a 96-88 victory in Brooklyn. Elsewhere in the East, the Miami Heat thrashed the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 121-99 to edge ahead of the top seeds 2-1 in their best-of-seven series. In Brooklyn, the Sixers trailed by 11 points early in the third quarter but transformed the contest with an 18-4 run to take the lead before closing out victory with a fourth-quarter rally. The Sixers' win was all the more impressive given the absence of star center Embiid, who suffered a right knee sprain in Thursday's 102-97 victory in game three. Embiid led the NBA with 33.1 points a game and is a finalist for the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Paul Reed stepped in to fill the void and finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Tobias Harris led the scoring for Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while De'Anthony Melton came off the bench to produce 15 points and lead the fourth-quarter surge. Harris said the Sixers were determined to use Embiid's absence as a motivator. "He's the MVP. And when we heard he wasn't playing, I think it was an opportunity for everybody else to really step up and understand that we've got to get a win without the big fellow," Harris told the TNT television network. "The whole group came together today. It's a great win for us and a great way to sweep the series." Asked what his message to the injured Embiid would be, Harris replied: "Hurry up and get your ass back out here." The 4-0 series victory was Philadelphia's first playoff sweep since 1991. Spencer Dinwiddie led Brooklyn's scoring with 20 points while Nic Claxton had 19 points with 12 rebounds. "Getting swept is trash," a dejected Claxton said. "It's not a good feeling." Suns on the brink In Los Angeles, Kevin Durant finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to help Phoenix beat the Clippers 112-100 for a 3-1 series lead. Devin Booker plundered 30 points and veteran Chris Paul added 19 in a late burst of scoring as Phoenix bagged their second straight win in Los Angeles. "I'm in a good place and I'm enjoying playing ball," Durant said. "I've been out a few months this season, and I'm just happy I'm out here where the ball is." It means the Suns need just one more win to book their place in the Western Conference semi-finals, with game five set for Phoenix on Tuesday. The Clippers' hopes of squaring the series had been dealt a blow by the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who joined Paul George on the injured list. Russell Westbrook produced one of his best performances for the Clippers with a 37-point display. In Miami, the Heat took full advantage of the absence of Milwaukee's two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, leading by double digits much of the night. Jimmy Butler scored 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting before departing late in the third quarter after taking a hard fall. After visiting the locker room he returned to the bench but with the game in hand did not go back on the floor. Duncan Robinson scored 20 points and fellow reserve Kyle Lowry added 15 as the Heat bench delivered 59 points. "We just came out here and played with some intensity," Lowry said. The Heat will try to level the series on Monday, but Lowry said he knows they'll face a tough task. "Every game is a different game," he said. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said the team would continue to "monitor" Antetokounmpo, who suffered a back contusion in game one, missed game two and was a late scratch on Saturday. In the late game the Memphis Grizzlies welcomed star guard Ja Morant back after a hand injury as they visited the Los Angeles Lakers with their series knotted 1-1. The post Sixers sweep Nets to advance, Suns on brink as Heat burn Bucks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sixers advance after Nets sweep, Suns on brink as Clippers downed
The Philadelphia 76ers shrugged off the absence of Joel Embiid to complete a 4-0 sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA playoffs on Saturday as the Phoenix Suns edged closer to a second-round berth with a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers advanced to an Eastern Conference semi-final showdown against either Boston or Atlanta with a dominant second-half display to seal a 96-88 victory in Brooklyn. The Sixers trailed by 11 points early in the third quarter but transformed the contest with an 18-4 run to take the lead before closing out victory with a fourth-quarter rally. The Sixers' win was all the more impressive given the absence of star center Embiid, who suffered a right knee sprain in Thursday's 102-97 victory in game three. Embiid led the NBA with 33.1 points a game and is a finalist for the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. With Embiid out, Paul Reed stepped in to fill the void and finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Tobias Harris led the scoring for Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while De'Anthony Melton came off the bench to produce 15 points and lead the fourth-quarter rally. Harris said the Sixers had been determined to use Embiid's absence as a motivator. "He's the MVP. And when we heard he wasn't playing, I think it was an opportunity for everybody else to really step up and understand that we've got to get a win without the big fella," Harris told the TNT television network after the win. "For us to come out here and get this victory, it feels great for the whole group. "The whole group came together today. It's a great win for us and a great way to sweep the series." Asked what his message to the injured Embiid would be, Harris replied: "Hurry up and get your ass back out here." The 4-0 series victory was Philadelphia's first playoff sweep since 1991. Spencer Dinwiddie led Brooklyn's scoring with 20 points while Nic Claxton had 19 points with 12 rebounds. In Los Angeles, Kevin Durant finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to help Phoenix take a 3-1 series lead over the Clippers with a 112-100 victory. Devin Booker plundered 30 points and veteran Chris Paul added 19 in a late burst of scoring as Phoenix bagged their second straight win in Los Angeles in the best-of-seven series. It means the Suns need just one more win to book their place in the Western Conference semi-finals, with game five set for Phoenix on Tuesday. The Clippers' hopes of squaring the series had been dealt a blow by the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who joined Paul George on the injured list. In their absence, Russell Westbrook produced one of his best performances for the Clippers with a 37-point display but ultimately it was not enough as the greater depth of the Suns' line-up proved too much. "I'm in a good place and I'm enjoying playing ball," Durant said after the win. "I've been out a few months this season, and I'm just happy I'm out here where the ball is." In later playoff games on Saturday, the Milwaukee Bucks travel to Miami looking for a win on the road over the Heat with the best-of-seven series finely balanced at 1-1. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat out game two after suffering a back injury in game one, was listed as questionable for Milwaukee. In the late game, the Memphis Grizzlies travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers with their series knotted at one game apiece. The post Sixers advance after Nets sweep, Suns on brink as Clippers downed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bucks’ Antetokounmpo ruled out of Game 3 against Miami
Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo was ruled out of the third game of the Bucks' NBA playoff series against the Miami Heat on Saturday an hour before tip-off. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player will miss a second straight game with a lower back contusion, suffering in a bad fall in the opening game of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series. Head coach Mike Budenholzer had indicated Friday that Antetokounmpo might be ready to take the floor, but said in his pre-game remarks to reporters that it's not clear when he will return. "We'll continue to monitor him throughout the day (Sunday) and the next day," Budenholzer said. "It's not always a linear thing. He's not in a position where he can play, so we're going to continue to monitor and work with him and hope for the best." Without Antetokounmpo the Bucks won game two of the series to go into Saturday's game in Miami level at 1-1. Antetokounmpo is just one of the high-profile players with injury concerns in the first round of the playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers were without another MVP candidate in star center Joel Embiid Saturday but still beat Brooklyn 96-88 to complete their sweep of the Nets. The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in their 112-100 loss to the Phoenix Suns and Memphis's star point guard Ja Morant was questionable for the Grizzlies' game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. The post Bucks’ Antetokounmpo ruled out of Game 3 against Miami appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Giannis carries Bucks to East finals
Los Angeles—Giannis Antetokounmpo had 40 points and 13 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Brooklyn Nets 115-111 in a thrilling game-seven overtime on Saturday to advance to the Eastern Conference finals......»»
Bucks advance, overcome Durant-led Nets in Game 7 thriller
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 40 points, including the tying basket in overtime and Khris Middleton hit the go-ahead shot with 40.7 seconds left as the Milwaukee Bucks pulled out a 115-111 victory over the host Brooklyn Nets Saturday night in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bucks survived a 48-point performance by Kevin Durant, […] The post Bucks advance, overcome Durant-led Nets in Game 7 thriller appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Antetokounmpo outduels Durant as Bucks oust Nets to reach East finals
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 40 points and 13 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Brooklyn Nets 115-111 in a thrilling game-seven overtime on Saturday to advance to the Eastern Conference finals......»»
Bucks shock Nets in Game 7 overtime, move on to Eastern Conference Finals
After going down 0-2, the Bucks won four of the next five games — including the hostile Game Seven in Brooklyn where they went scoreless in the first three minutes......»»
Durant delivers ‘signature performance’ as Nets beat Bucks
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Kevin Durant finished with 49 points while playing every minute of the game as the Brooklyn Nets rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 114-108 in game five of their NBA playoff series on Tuesday. Durant also had 17 rebounds and 10 assists as the Nets seized a […].....»»
Durant delivers ‘signature performance’ as Nets rally to beat Bucks
Los Angeles—Kevin Durant finished with 49 points as the Brooklyn Nets rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 114-108 in game five of their Eastern Conference series on Tuesday (Wednesday, June 16, 2021, Philippine time). Durant, who played every minute of the contest, also had 17 rebounds and 10 assists as the […] The post Durant delivers ‘signature performance’ as Nets rally to beat Bucks appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Bucks roll over Nets to level NBA Eastern Conference series
LOS ANGELES – Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 34 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks evened their Eastern Conference second round series on Sunday with a 107-96 rout of the Brooklyn Nets, who lost Kyrie Irving to an injury. Antetokounmpo delivered his best performance of the postseason, shooting 14-of-26 from the field and […] The post Bucks roll over Nets to level NBA Eastern Conference series appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Bucks hang on to beat Nets; Jazz nip Clippers
Los Angeles—The Milwaukee Bucks started strong and clung on late to beat the Brooklyn Nets 86-83 on Thursday and claw their way back into their NBA Eastern Conference second-round playoff series......»»
Harden-less Nets trounce Bucks to take 2-0 series lead
Los Angeles—Kevin Durant had 32 points and six assists as the Brooklyn Nets rolled to their largest playoff win in franchise history on Monday with a 125-86 beat down of the Milwaukee Bucks in game two of their NBA series......»»
Durant shines as Nets beat Giannis-led Bucks in series opener
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Kevin Durant had 29 points and 10 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets withstood Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 34-point performance to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-107 in the opening game of their second round series. The Nets won the battle between two of the NBA’s most potent offences on Saturday night despite losing James […].....»»
Durant scores 29 as Nets roll over Bucks in NBA series opener
Kevin Durant had 29 points and 10 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets withstood Giannis Antetokounmpo's 34-point performance to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-107 in the opening game of their second-round series......»»
Nets Big 3 tow Brooklyn past Celtics; Blazers draw first blood vs Nuggets
In the other games of the day, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Dallas Mavericks also took 1-0 leads over their respective match-ups earlier Saturday (Sunday, Manila)......»»
Giannis outguns Nets duo
LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points as the Milwaukee Bucks punched their playoff ticket with a 124-118 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. The heavyweight showdown between the Eastern Conference rivals did not disappoint, with the two sides matching each other shot-for-shot before the Bucks pulled away in the final quarter. […] The post Giannis outguns Nets duo appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Antetokounmpo powers Bucks over Nets in NBA return
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a season-high 49 points in his return from an injury as the Milwaukee Bucks overcame Kevin Durant's 42-point performance to beat the Brooklyn Nets, 117-114......»»
Bucks rally past 76ers, Harden lifts Brooklyn
Los Angeles, United States—Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 10 of his 32 points in overtime to power the Milwaukee Bucks to a 109-105 victory over Philadelphia in an NBA Eastern Conference heavyweight clash Wednesday (Thursday Philippine time)......»»
Nets overpower depleted Lakers; Bucks stumble again
Brooklyn 109, LA Lakers 98 Toronto 110, Milwaukee 96 Miami 118, Sacramento 110 LOS ANGELES (AFP) – James Harden scored 23 points as the Brooklyn Nets blew away a depleted Los Angeles Lakers in a one-sided showdown between the Eastern and Western Conference heavyweights on Thursday. With Kevin Durant sidelined with a hamstring strain, Harden […].....»»