Over the last years, LeBron James’ achievements off the court matched his on-court accolades — with the Los Angeles Lakers All-Star becoming a successful businessman and a powerful advocate for social justice.
Among James’ ventures, the 37-year-old runs a digital media conglomerate — The SpringHill Company — together with his business partner, Maverick Carter. The enterprise produces “The Shop: Uninterrupted,” the Emmy Award-winning show that features James and notable sports and media personalities discussing national affairs.
As part of SpringHill’s growth, the company has announced a partnership with four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in forming the tennis star’s new media company, Hana Kuma.
“Hana Kuma will reflect Osaka’s singular point of view and experiences, bringing her passions and sensibilities to worldwide audiences,” a SpringHill said in a statement.
“The announcement comes on the heels of Osaka and Duguid forming EVOLVE, a modern athlete representation agency, underscoring Naomi’s desire to push boundaries and shape her own destiny as a businessperson. In Japanese, Hana stands for flower and Kuma stands for bear.
“The juxtaposition in the name influences the mandate as Hana Kuma will produce stories that are culturally specific but universal to all audiences; playful and bold in its approach to tackle important issues of society. More importantly, Hana Kuma aims to inspire people to use their voice and believe in their abilities to change the world.”
James himself took to Twitter to express excitement about the partnership:
There’s reason we call ourselves an Empowerment Company. This incredible woman and the stories she is going to bring to life is EXACTLY what we about!!!Incredibly proud to call her my partner. @naomiosaka @makespringhill #MoreThananAthlete https://t.co/mellHFKP9Q
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 21, 2022
SpringHill will provide Hana Kuma with essential production, development, and strategic resources to produce athlete-centered content. James and Carter’s UNINTERRUPTED franchise and Osaka previously collaborated on the 24-year-old tennis player’s documentary series — “Naomi Osaka” — which premiered on Netflix last year.
“There has been an explosion of creators of color finally being equipped with resources and a huge platform,” Osaka said in a statement. “In the streaming age, content has a more global perspective. You can see this in the popularity of television from Asia, Europe, and Latin America that the unique can also be universal.
“My story is a testament to that as well. I’m so excited for what we are building at Hana Kuma. We will bring stories to life with this goal in mind: to make unique perspectives feel universal and inspire people along the way.”
James works on shooting with former teammate Kevin Love
After weeks of rest, James has returned to the court in preparation for the 2022-23 season.
After the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtis in the 2022 NBA Finals and officially put the 2021-22 season to an end, the four-time NBA champion did some shooting drills with former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Kevin Love in New York City.
Anthony Davis seemed to have started summer practice too — training with celebrity coach Chris Matthews AKA Lethal Shooter.
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