The latest episode of Network with Rich Kleiman explores how powerhouse franchises have built and sustained their iconic sports brands across generations.
The Dallas Cowboys. The New York Yankees. The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks.
When naming some of the most powerful brands in sports, the conversation doesn’t get very far without listing any of the above. But as Rich Kleiman poses in his latest Network interview with Donovan Mitchell, is it possible for a team to redefine its brand?
“Oklahoma City was KD-Russ. I would argue now that no young person is looking at OKC as a KD-Russ brand anymore, right?” Kleiman said.
While he admits to thinking of the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook-James Harden trio himself, Mitchell agreed that the recent championship may be putting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Co. over the top in the minds of younger fans. The six-time All-Star faces the same battle of leaving his own mark with the Cavaliers, where LeBron James will always be royalty after leading the franchise to its first and only NBA championship.
“1,000%, especially because LeBron, what they did, it put Cleveland on the map. You brought people to Cleveland,” Mitchell says when Kleiman asked if Cleveland feels like the ‘LeBron brand.’ “When you bring a city its first championship in 50 years, and you’re from there, that’s historic.”
Be sure to catch the full conversation between Mitchell and Kleiman at Boardroom’s YouTube channel here, as well as on Yahoo Sports’ podcast pages on Apple and Spotify.
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