NBA Champion Jaylen Brown did the opposite of what most superstars do when offered a big contract. He turned it down but decided to launch his own brand instead, crediting the late Kobe Bryant with the idea.
In an exclusive interview with Entrepreneur and Sports Illustrated, the Boston Celtics player discussed his latest venture, 741, a shoe and athleisure brand. After meeting with several companies and not feeling the offers thrown at him, Brown stated he went the route that the great Kobe was planning on taking. The Lakers legend had plans to start his own athletic company, so he opted to do the same.
After turning down $50 million in endorsement deals, he launched 741 in September.
“Honestly, I got the idea from Kobe [Bryant], rest in peace. Before he passed away, he was planning to launch his own shoe brand, sign athletes, and give them better deals and percentages. I remember reading an article about that, and I thought it was dope. I’ve gone through my own experiences dealing with major corporations and how they value your creativity and how they value you. I met with every brand, and none of them stood out. They all kind of approach things the same. I was looking for the brand of the future, not the brand of the past. And I couldn’t find it, so I had to start it.”
Brown also stated that he also helped design the products for his line. Besides designing, he said that creating 741 has allowed him to explore his creativity.
“I designed everything myself. I was just at the factory in South Korea, on the line, making sure stuff was done in the way that I see fit. I passed on probably almost $50 million worth of deals [from other brands] in order to start something on my own. And it’s not because I didn’t like the money they offered. It’s because those deals pigeonholed me, and they didn’t allow creativity.”
Brown also said that he doesn’t want to force anything in terms of promoting the brand. He’s more into the slow-build approach and admitted that “it doesn’t have to be the hottest brand on the street by tomorrow.”
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