Paolo Banchero Reveals Jordan Brand Player Edition Shoe
Orlando Magic star and Jordan Brand athlete Paolo Banchero is ready for retail. For the first time in his young career, the third-year forward is releasing a player-edition colorway with the Jumpan in the form of the Jordan Heir Series, a performance basketball model made with specific insights from the women’s game. The collaborative colorway pays homage to Paolo’s mother’s playing time in the WNBA and his formative days learning the game from her at Seattle’s Boys & Girls Club. The PE pair will release online at Jordan and select retail partners on Feb. 17.
Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr. Headline First Oscars Presenters
With less than a month until the biggest night in film, The Academy has confirmed four presenters for this year’s Oscars. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Robert Downey Jr., Emma Stone, Cillian Murphy, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph will hand out awards on March 2. All four celebrities took home one of the highest awards last year in either the lead or supporting actor/actress categories. More presenters will be revealed in the lead-up to the ceremony, which will be hosted by comedian and podcaster Conan O’Brien.
Ronnie Fieg, Kith Records Drop Single with Fabolous, Jadakiss, Lexa Gates
Kith is continuing its pursuit into music with a new song to promote its Spring 2025 capsule. After teasing it for the last 24 hours on social media, owner Ronnie Fieg dropped a new single, “New York to the World,” on Wednesday, featuring longtime collaborators Fabolous and Jadakiss and underground talent Lexa Gates. The Kith Records song, streaming on all platforms, is produced by Scott and Jalen Storch, while Hype Williams shot the visuals.
Disney’s Box Office Success Leads to Revenue Increase
The Walt Disney Co. shared its latest quarterly earnings on Tuesday, and the entertainment powerhouse recorded revenue of $24.69 billion to end 2024, a 4.8% year-over-year jump. The company gained nearly a million subscribers to its two biggest streaming services, Disney+ and Hulu, from the previous quarter, pushing its total to 178 million. This is despite a slight 1% decrease in Disney+ subscribers. In his message to investors, CEO Big Iger lauded the company’s box office success, which include the three top-grossing films of the year (Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Moana 2).
Wilson’s Airless Basketball is Returning to Retail
After years of testing and teasing, Wilson’s 3D-printed basketball is finally ready for play. On Feb. 13 at All-Star Weekend in The Bay, the Airless Gen1TM ball will launch in a limited fashion for $2,500. The ball is completely airless and is the exact same size, shape, and weight as a regulation basketball. The original prototype debuted at Kenyon Martin Jr.’s hands in the 2023 NBA Dunk Contest, followed by a limited launch that sold out in 2024.
Alyssa Romano Named CMO of Octagon’s Talent & Properties Division
Octagon announced Wednesday that Alyssa Romano has been named its Chief Marketing Officer for the company’s talent and properties sector. In this newly created role, Romano will oversee the division’s strategic marketing initiatives while focusing on innovation, synergy, content creation, recruiting, and storytelling. She will also manage communications, social media, and creative for the agency’s talent representation business. Before being promoted, Romano, who started at Octagon as an intern, worked as the Senior VP of Communications and Social Media.
Post Malone Drops ‘White Iverson’ Merch to Celebrate 10 Years
Commemorating the 10th anniversary of his breakthrough hit, “White Iverson,” music multihyphenate Post Malone is releasing a capsule collection centered around his Soundcloud single. Teaming up with Reebok and Wilson – both basketball brands tied to track muse Allen Iverson – a hooded sweatshirt and Stoney-branded ball pay homage to the Diamond-certified song. Limited quantities have been released on Post Malone’s website.
Deep Blue Sports, Always Alpha Team Up to ‘Supercharge’ Women’s Sports
Sports talent management firm Always Alpha – co-founded by Allyson Felix and CEO Cosette Chaput – has teamed up with women’s sports marketing company Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment to form the largest agency supporting women in the industry. The two entities have already added a lineup of superstar athletes to their roster, including Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga and NWSL champion Barbra Banda of the Orlando Pride. “We intend to become the world leader in building strategies and brokering commercial partnerships that deliver ROI and supercharge the business of women’s sports across the entire ecosystem,” Deep Blue Founder and CEO Laura Correnti said of the merger.
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