Photo: Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, May 21, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)/Photo: Kanye West, June 1, 2015 in New York City. (zz/Patricia Schlein/STAR MAX/IPx 2015 6/1/15)
Back in January, hip-hop billionaire Kayne West announced that he would be branching out into branding sports athletes via his new venture, Donda Sports Agency.
His first signing was in February with controversial football National Football League pro, Antonio Brown, naming Brown as president of Donda Sports. Now West has added two more big names to his roster.
On May 30, Donda signed three-time NFL defensive player of the year Aaron Donald, and on May 31 National Basketball Association All-Star Jaylen Brown signed on. Donda will seek to land branding projects outside of the sports arena for both pro athletes.
Here are three things to know.
There were signs the Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, 25, might sign with Donda Sports. Already buddies with Kanye, the two attended a San Francisco Golden State Warriors versus Celtics game in March. Jaylen Brown has also been spotted wearing a Donda Sports hoodie.
Insiders told TMZ that the Jaylen Brown-Kanye match-up seems well made as the two men connect on faith and the impact their mothers have had on their lives.
Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Famer Donald of the Los Angeles Rams said it was a “no-brainer” to join Donda, The Shadow League reported.
In an interview on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, Donald said, “It was an opportunity that came to us, me and my wife, and it made sense. Hearing the whole spectrum of what they were going to bring, the whole family atmosphere that they got in Donda Sports. Not just me, but my wife being a part of that. For me it was a no-brainer. I think it’s a helluva opportunity to open up a lot of different doors and a lot of different things outside of football that I wanna be involved in, that I wanna do, that my wife wanna do.”
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Kanye named the sports agency after his mother, Donda West. The agency’s goal is to brand athletes outside of sports projects.
“Donda Sports was founded with the vision of providing holistic support to athletes during and beyond their sports career,” the press statement from the company said. “Donda Sports is a limitless organization centered on professional and wellness support in equal measure with the ambition to work with athletes across all genders, divisions, and sports.”
In February, Antonio Brown and Donda announced that the free-agent wide receiver would come on as president of the Donda venture.
“Former NFL Pro-Bowler and Super Bowl champion Antonio Brown joins Donda Sports where he will…bring an athlete’s perspective to all aspects of the organization,” a statement from Donda read at the time of the signing. “Donda Sports was founded with the vision of providing holistic support to athletes during and beyond their sport’s career.”
In the same interview, Antonio Brown teased his involvement with Donda Sports and said he was “excited” to be working with Ye.
“I don’t think there’s a lot of fashion lines for athletes, wearing fashionable and comfortable clothes, so with a guy like Kanye West, being able to partner with him and work with him to provide more creative, genius ideas for fashion looks for athletes in general,” Antonio Brown said. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity here soon, to share what we’ve got with the world.”
Now as Donda’s latest signees join the venture, Antonio Brown took to his Instagram story to send a message to Donald, stating, “Keep balling, keep working but keep being loved.”
Photo: Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown warms up before Game 3 of the NBA basketball Eastern Conference finals playoff series against the Miami Heat, May 21, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)/Photo: Kanye West at the 2015 CFDA Fashion Awards held on June 1, 2015 in New York City. File Photo by: zz/Patricia Schlein/STAR MAX/IPx 2015 6/1/15 (NYC)
