Forget Steph Curry and LeBron James: BTS’s Suga is the NBA’s latest secret weapon.
Suga will play ball with the Association, which this week unveiled the South Korean rapper, songwriter, and producer as an NBA Ambassador.
In this sporty new role, Suga will be expected to “engage NBA fans around the world” through the remainder of the 2022-23 NBA season and beyond, reads a statement from the league.
“Music and basketball have been shared passions of mine since my youth, and it’s a dream to be named an NBA Ambassador,” says Suga in a statement. “I’m excited to formalize my relationship with the NBA, and I can’t wait to share some exciting collaborations I have planned with the league over the coming months.”
The alliance goes both ways. Suga will also participate in several league initiatives that will be featured on both the NBA and Suga’s social channels. Among them, Suga will participate in promotional activities, and attend NBA games and events in Asia and the United States — which he has already done this season, including the Dallas Mavericks game at Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 12.
Also, the NBA will “have a presence” throughout Suga’s D-Day Tour, which is currently winding its way around the U.S., in support of his debut solo album as Agust D.
“We’re thrilled to join forces with Suga – a superstar musician, fashion icon, and passionate NBA fan,” comments NBA deputy commissioner and COO Mark Tatum. “We look forward to working with Suga to bring the same excitement he engenders from his global fanbase in support of our continued efforts to grow our brand.”
Suga loves that game. Earlier in the week, he talked ball with Jimmy Fallon when he stopped by The Tonight Show. His stage name, he explained, is a contraction of “shooting guard.” And when asked if he could beat the other BTS lads in a game of one-on-one, he responded: “Are you kidding me?” Adding, “I don’t think any of the other members know the basketball rules.”
The NBA has never been more popular with sports fans abroad, and the game itself had never been more “international.” When the 2022-23 season tipped off, franchise rosters included 120 international players from 40 countries, led by Canada (22) and Australia (10). When the regular season came to an end, international players led the league in points per game and rebounds, and internationals have won the Most Valuable Player award for each of the past five seasons.
