⚡️Adidas Basketball, Langston Morris-Walker's Path to Success

🏀💼 Langston Morris Walker started his career in sports playing basketball at Oregon State University and professionally in Europe. His next career move took him into the gaming industry at 2K and shortly after he accepted his current role in Adidas Basketball Sports Marketing. His journey is a special one and has certainly contributed to his diverse skill set.

Key Highlights:

• The Servant Mindset

• Technological Fluency

• Creating Luck

📍From Proximity to Endorsements:

Many individuals offer the similar advice that achievement is largely due to being in the right place at the right time and having some measure of luck. Instead of relying on fortune, “I chose to be everywhere, all the time and ready for any opportunity. That is how I created my own luck.” Langston positioned himself in close proximity to industry giants like Nike and Adidas. By moving himself to Portland, Oregon he opened doors for potential networking opportunities. Leveraging the power of LinkedIn, he initiated numerous informational meetings, fostering connections and conversations with professionals in the sports industry. His dedication to these informationals was evident in his investment of over $2000 spent on coffee. This demonstrated the value of proactive networking and gaining endorsements that ultimately propelled his journey in Adidas Basketball Sports Marketing.

🎮 Unlocking the Virtual Court:

Langston provides us with a glimpse into his time at 2K, where he contributed his basketball expertise to the gaming and sports marketing sectors. "Incorporating sports knowledge in innovative ways can lead to extraordinary career prospects in business fields that may not seem obvious at first glance." According to Statista, a market research and analysis platform, 532 million people regularly viewed esports competitions last year. That viewership is expected to grow to more than 640 million by 2025. Last year the global esports market was valued at just over $1.4 billion, and it’s forecast to grow to as much as $1.9 billion in 2025. Langston emphasizes the increasing significance of tech and gaming in the evolving sports industry.

⚙️ Advice for aspiring sports marketers:

Drawing from his current role in Adidas Basketball Sports Marketing, Langston shares three valuable pieces of advice. First, he emphasizes treating everyone with love and recognizing the importance of cultivating positive relationships in the service-oriented sports industry. Second, he encourages young professionals to practice servant leadership and embracing the mentality of providing value to others. ‘Understanding that your role is to serve the athletes, the team, and the brand is key to providing value to everyone involved. By embracing this philosophy, you will uplift those around you and make a lasting impact.” Finally, he emphasizes the significance of mastering the challenging aspects of the job and constantly learning and growing. “While sports marketing can be considered an appealing industry, there are often unexpected challenges that emerge behind the scenes. It's crucial to accept and overcome these hurdles in order to progress in your career.”

Preparation becomes your personal compass: Investing effort and energy into the initial challenges will result in personal development, increased resilience, and the discovery of new horizons.

Creating Opportunities: Striking a balance between persistence and patience is key to achieving your goals. You'll often find that opportunities arise when you take control of your own path.

Cut through the noise – Do the work! Focus on your path or current role, put your head down and be known for your work ethic, reliability, and results.

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