Int’l NBA Players Finding Success As Players, Pitch Men

Int’l Players Like Parker (l) And Ginobili Seeing More Marketing Opportunities

Int’l players in the NBA collectively have 108 endorsement deals, up from 57 in ’03, and during the last four years, the number of int’l players in the league rose from 68 to 83, “an indication several of the top foreign-born stars have landed more than one endorsement deal,” according to Tim Lemke of the WASHINGTON TIMES. Davie Brown Entertainment “places four international players on its list of the top 10 most marketable” NBA players — Suns G Steve Nash, Spurs G Tony Parker, Rockets C Yao Ming and Mavericks F Dirk Nowitzki. Even “low-profile players” like Spurs G Manu Ginobili and Jazz F Andrei Kirilenko “have been cashing in.” Sports Business Group President David Carter: “Talent helps, but you don’t have to be off the charts. The international guys may be able to compensate with other things. There’s a real appeal and tremendous curiosity to them.” NBA execs said that they do not “directly market individual international players but do have a program that matches players with companies seeking endorsers.” They said that the program is “increasingly ... being used to match foreign companies with some of the league’s international talent” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 1/30).