🏟️ The Art of the Athlete Presser

Welcome to the first edition of Game Notes! SBV’s special monthly newsletter covers sports business through a cultural lens.

On Thursday, the NBA Finals began in Oklahoma City in thrilling fashion. The Pacers came back from down 15 in the 4th quarter and stole Game 1 thanks to Tyrese Haliburton, who drained a game-winning, mid-range pull up with 0.3 seconds on the clock. When asked what the secret sauce is to the Pacers magical playoff run, Haliburton, who has now hit four game-winners this post-season, said: “Today, the secret sauce was these,” as he pointed at his freshly unveiled Puma Hali 1s.

“Nah, I’m just playing,” the 25-year-old guard said with a big smile. “I think when you have a run like last year and you get swept in the Eastern Conference Finals and all the conversation is about how you don’t belong there and how you lucked out to get there and that it was a fluke, guys are going to be pissed off. You’re going to spend the summer pissed off…. As a group, you take everything personal. It’s not just me. It’s everybody. I feel like that’s the DNA of this group.”

It’s been 15 years since I watched my first Finals back in 2010 when the Lakers beat the Celtics in Game 7. The expression of elation that Kobe’s entire body exuded as the final buzzer rang out as he captured his fifth championship is something I’ll never forget. After all these years, I still enjoy watching basketball as much as I did as a kid, except now I have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the game—especially for the extreme passion, discipline, and hard work it takes for athletes to perform at the highest level.

As larger than life as they appear on TV, every NBA star is ultimately a human being who was able to actualize their childhood dreams of playing professional basketball. It’s something that is easily forgotten given how noisy the environment that these elite athletes exist in is, whether it's from the endless online scrutiny or the hot button debate shows. Perhaps that’s why I find a lot of beauty in the traditional press conference. Those moments, especially at pivotal moments in a player’s career, offer immediate and direct insight into their mindset and perspective.

At the Finals media day presser, the day before Game 1, Tyrese Haliburton was asked about the Pacers being viewed as one of the biggest underdogs in recent history, matched up against the Thunder. “If we are to win a Championship, I wouldn’t want to do it any other way. I don’t want to go around or go over, I want to go through. You want to go through the best team,” he said. “This has been the best team in the NBA all year. There’s no shortcuts to beating this team. We know the odds are stacked against us but it is what it is. We want to be here. We want to play against the best and this is the best so we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

When asked if he’s ever stopped being fueled by the doubters, Haliburton responded firmly: “No. It will never stop. Obviously I want to be the best. I want to be great. I want to squeeze every ounce of God-given ability to be the best player I can be. Any doubt is always good for me. I love that stuff. I’ll continue to tell you guys in certain moments that it doesn’t matter what people say but it matters. And I enjoy it.”

Later tonight, we’ll see how the Thunder, led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, respond in Game 2. No matter how the rest of the series plays out, it’s always exciting to witness a new NBA superstar reach the pinnacle of the game and realize a dream they’ve worked tirelessly towards. It’s inspiring and thrilling. It reminds me of why I fell in love with basketball in the first place. And maybe, 15 years from now, bits of Haliburton’s press conference will circulate online the same way that clip of Kobe Bryant, up 2-0 in the 2009 Finals, still does to this day. “What’s there to be happy about? Job’s not finished.”

Collaboration Spotlight: The New York Liberty

The 2024 WNBA Champions started off the season on a red-hot 8-0 start. (The only other undefeated team in the league is the Minnesota Lynx who lost to New York in the Finals last season.)

The Libs aren’t just dominating on the court. Earlier this month, the team announced a special collaboration with the Brooklyn Public Library: special edition NY Liberty library cards commemorating their championship and their beloved mascot Ellie the Ellephant.

Full disclosure: I previously worked for the Libs on their social content team so I might be biased but I wholeheartedly believe their marketing team is knocking it out of the ball park this season, creatively finding opportunities to connect their fans and extend their brand’s reach.

The Liberty became the first-ever sports partner for Pinterest. They installed a custom print vending machine from local Brooklyn artist inciardi on the concourse at Barclays Center for every home game this season. They established the Liberty Bar Network, where fans can watch away games in community with each other. I mean come on, Jackie Chan was even in the building to promote the new Karate Kid. It’s pretty hard to root against that.