How Kobe Bryant Influenced Jaylen Brown’s Business Ventures

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown signed his first and final sneaker endorsement deal with Adidas in 2016 as a little-known rookie. Now, as the reigning NBA Finals MVP, the 28-year-old took a stand against all major brands and took an independent route.

Brown launched his brand, 741, and first signature sneaker, the Rover, this month after years of footwear free agency — and his ongoing beef with Nike. It was a relatively risky decision, especially when considering Brown rejected $50 million offers this past summer to dip into the market solo. It was also a decision, however, that came inspired by the one and only Kobe Bryant.

“Honestly, I got the idea from Kobe, rest in peace,” Brown told Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor, per Sports Illustrated. “Before he passed away, he was planning to launch his own shoe brand, sign athletes and give them better deals and percentages. I remember reading an article about that, and I thought it was dope.”

Bryant, like Brown, started with Adidas during his rookie season in 1996. Bryant joined the NBA as a prospect fresh out of high school and quickly took the league by storm, earning himself a contract with Nike that lasted from 2003 throughout the rest of Bryant’s Hall of Fame career. That relationship produced some of Nike Basketball’s most iconic models from the Kobe 5 “Prelude” to the Kobe 6 “Grinch.” Brown even sported a few of Bryant’s all-time classic models, adding his own custom twist that, at times, aimed a jab at Nike while at other times, celebrated Bill Russell.

It’s only been four games into Boston’s clean slate and Brown is immediately thrilled about wearing the 741 Rover on the court. Celtics teammate Payton Pritchard even wore a pair himself during Boston’s recent matchup with the Washington Wizards.

“Man, it’s a honor. It’s so cool (to debut the 741 Rover),” Brown said after Monday night’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks. “It’s so much that went into the process of the ins and outs and learning how to create and develop your own company, sneakers from A to Z. You know, I’m really hands-on so I was a part of the whole process. Every approval, every design; from the shoebox to the tissue paper, like everything. A lot of energy and effort and time has gone into releasing my first iteration of the 741 and it’s pretty cool, it’s pretty awesome to be able to look down and then be like, ‘That’s me.'”

Brown also launched Boston XChange, his nonprofit aimed at alleviating the racial wealth gap in Boston and beyond, with assistance from Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd.