Athletes are rethinking endorsement deals.
The latest: NBA star Victor Wembanyama has reportedly turned down multimillion-dollar soda deals, with his agent telling The Athletic:
“Victor will never sell soda. Because he doesn’t want to kill the kids.”
The Spurs phenom also refuses to sit in front of Gatorade bottles during media appearances.
Tastemakers. Not unprecedented, Cristiano Ronaldo went viral in ’21 after pushing Coca-Cola bottles aside during a press conference and telling fans to “drink water” — wiping $4B off the beverage giant’s market cap.
Ownership era. Playing the long game, athletes are partnering with brands that support performance and longevity rather than undermine it.
Values-aligned, Wembanyama invested in hydration startup Barcode, Tom Brady joined NOBULL, and Christian McCaffrey co-founded While On Earth, while Serena Williams backed Midi, Teal Health, and Khloud via her venture firm.
Punchline: Athletes aren’t selling out; they’re investing in brands that reflect how they train, recover, and live.
