LeBron James
"Here, within these lines, on this concrete court, this patch of turf, here, you are defined by your actions. Not your looks or beliefs. Equality should have no boundaries. The bonds we find here (the court/field) should run pass these lines. Opportunity should not discriminate. The ball should bounce the same for everyone. Worth should outshine color. If we can be equals here, we can be equals everywhere."
These are the words of actor Michael B. Jordan, as he narrated a commercial last February for Nike. A commercial that featured LeBron James, Serena Williams, Kevin Durant, former NFL wide receiver Victor Cruz, Olympic champion Gabby Douglas, soccer star and LGBT activist Megan Rapinoe, and Olympic hurdler Dalilah Muhammad.
Athletes these days (especially high profile ones) have brands that they are responsible for. The Lebron James and Peyton Mannings of the world already need more hours in a day for all of the things they set out to achieve on the field and on the court as it is. Throw in the business goals they want to accomplish
, and it's impossible not to wonder how they manage to keep themselves sane. Here's a secret, the same tactic that they utilized to get a ring also works in business. It’s all about teamwork. Lebron, the consummate unselfish teammate and epitome of the phrase “leader of his team,”benefits from having a similar leader of his brand. That guy is his longtime friend and business partner, Maverick Carter.
