Taurean Prince is making strides in entrepreneurship with his latest venture.
O Los Angeles Lakers small forward is investing in emerging footwear brand Crossover Culture. Prince will not only be an ambassador for the brand, but will also have an expanded role within the company, where he will be actively involved in the design and creation of footwear products.
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Prince, 30, will be the brand’s first investor in the NBA, as the veteran looks to chart a different path from others who use bigger brands like Nike and Adidas but don’t have much say in creative direction. Partnering with Crossover Culture allows him to delve deeper into marketing initiatives and business strategies.
Prince, who wore Crossover Culture sneakers during the first round of the NBA playoffs, was signed to Adidas for the first few years of his career but asked out of the deal after feeling things were “inconsistent” and has been a sneaker agent. free for years.
Now it has found a unique home with Crossover Culture.
“I could have signed with Nike and gotten free merchandise and Jordans,” Prince said in an interview. “It wasn’t worth it for me. I knew I wanted to wait for an opportunity that was more of a partnership than just using someone else’s products.”
The former Baylor University star began wearing Crossover Culture shoes this season before recently deciding to fully commit to the brand with her undisclosed investment.
Prince, who has broader fashion ambitions, joins other current and former NBA players who have taken a different path in their sneaker sponsorship journey. The Big Baller brand, inspired by NBA guards Lonzo and LaMelo Ball, has gained a lot of attention in recent years. Other players, like Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac and Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving, have also created their own unique shoes in unconventional ways.
Prince is among several businesspeople in the Lakers locker room; Along with SpringHill Company co-founder LeBron James, there is also a sports drink investor Austin Reaves and co-founder of Eonxi Spencer Dinwiddie. Prince said he learned a few things about entrepreneurship from Dinwiddie.
Crossover Culture, founded in 2019, seeks to tap into this wave of player empowerment, where college and professional athletes are interested in becoming active participants in their off-court businesses and endeavors. The Los Angeles-based apparel company seeks to not only leverage the popularity of athletes to grow its consumer base, but also wants them to influence the long-term direction of the business.
“We’re building the infrastructure from A to Z and then inviting players to come in and be owners and be able to put their fingerprints on the brand,” said Ryan Duke, founder of Crossover Culture, in an interview. “AND [they’re] valued at the same level as everyone else in the brand. It’s not worth playing.”
Crossover Culture is trying to dig deeper into the youth basketball scene and attract a younger audience. Last month, the independent athlete-centric company partnered with five high school and college players for an NIL deal, including former Kentucky players Rob Dillingham and Jordan Burks and former Ohio State star Jacy Sheldon.
Prince aims to elevate Crossover Culture into the mainstream by bringing his perspective.
“We’re going to be making a lot of noise in space in the next few years,” he said. “Stay tuned.”
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