Professional athletes, with their near-superhuman abilities, are naturally inspiring and magnetic. This fact is not lost on brands and marketers keen to capitalize on a star athlete’s pull.
A Neilsen Sports report found that 78% of surveyed sports fans are more compelled to purchase products endorsed by their favorite sports stars. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that many fashion houses have onboarded athletic figures.
In particular, the eyewear industry has shown a keen interest in working with basketball superstars. For instance, just earlier this year, former NBA player Stephon Marbury was reported to be the chief brand officer of Chamelo Eyewear. Even after his retirement as a player, Marbury has remained an outspoken industry staple known for his commentary. Recently, this included saying that he feels LeBron James’ Olympic MVP award was misplaced. Aside from Marbury, though, many other pro ballers have been signed as official brand endorsers for some of the biggest eyewear manufacturers.
Here are a few of the most recent and notable ones:
Jayson Tatum
Just this April 2024, Boston Celtics player Jaysum Tatum was officially announced as Coach’s latest ambassador. In the eyewear sector, Coach is a renowned provider of high-end eyeglasses. Online retailer LensCrafters features the HC6082 model among its most popular eyeglasses thanks to its sleek style, which evokes Coach’s signature timeless elegance and use of clever accents. In Tatum’s capacity as the brand’s endorser, he’s starred in a number of campaigns featuring the newest in their men’s eyewear range. Most notably, the key model in Tatum’s campaign images sees him modeling the Gradient Keyhole Square Sunglasses, which feature gold hardware and a gradient colorway. Outside of official shoots, Tatum has also been representing Coach eyewear via online video collaterals and public appearances.
Dwyane Wade
For the second year in a row, Dwyane Wade remains the face of Versace’s men’s eyewear collection. An NBA Hall-of-Famer known for his sartorial tastes, Wade’s newest campaign features what the athlete himself described to Esquire as a “sexier” take. In the line, each of the prescription glasses and sunglasses uses the Italian brand’s signature bold and confident aesthetic. This includes trademark oversized silhouettes, deeper color palettes, and well-known gold accents that include Versace’s iconic Medusa medallion. Available in online and physical eyewear stores, the eyewear collection was also marketed with exclusive video content where the basketball icon detailed his own values and style preferences.
Damian Lillard
Oakley is a popular performance eyewear brand with a roster of ambassadors across various sports. In the basketball arena, Damian Lillard is the latest to join the premium brand’s family. This October, the Milwaukee Bucks point guard unveiled the second iteration of his Signature Series Latch Panel collab. In this release, the wraparound shades were designed to not only represent Lillard’s on-court prowess but also his passion for music. Made with Oakley’s celebrated BiO-Matter material and Prizm Lens technology, the shades also boast details that allude to a retro mic and vintage vinyl record. According to the official press release, this updated version will also come with an original Dame D.O.L.L.A. track. As fans will know, Dame D.O.L.L.A is the basketball player’s rapper name, which stands for Different On Levels the Lord Allows.
