June 20th 2023.
Damian Lillard, the star of the Portland Trail Blazers, has been successful on the basketball court. However, he has also set a goal off the court to be successful in business. In a recent Forbes interview, he shared why he decided to invest in the Hong Kong and New York City-based e-commerce company, Kicks Crew.
The seven-time NBA All-Star revealed that a pair of "fake" sneakers he purchased online motivated him to invest in a company he could trust. He shared that it's not only about making money, but also about providing excellent customer service and having integrity and character.
Kicks Crew was the first startup venture in Lillard's portfolio. The e-commerce company has offices in New York City and Hong Kong and recently raised $6.2 million from a Series A funding round. This, combined with investments from Gobi Partners, Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li's Pacific Century Group, and Complex China, brought the total amount of funding to $7.2 million.
Kicks Crew shifted to e-commerce during the pandemic and now offers a wide range of brands on their website, such as Nike, Adidas, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton. This investment has allowed Lillard to become more connected to the people in Asia. In June 2023, he even coached high school students in gyms across the lower-income areas of Kowloon.
Lillard shared that he wants to create a sense of community and connection with people, not just transactional relationships. He is also using his experience to ensure that the products from Kicks Crew are authentic, as there is a significant problem with counterfeit consumer goods in the market.
Recently, there have been rumors that Lillard will be traded, but he has expressed that he wants to stay in Portland. He hopes that his partnership with Kicks Crew will help him stay in the game and steer the potential of the company.
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