James Harden seems to be going through a rough patch in his basketball career. However, the 76ers’ star guard seems to be thinking about his life post-basketball, taking a page out of Kobe’s playbook, as he maximizes his brand and makes the right investments. Harden created his own brand of Wine after being inspired by his idol’s brand Mamba Vino. He joined an elite list of players such as LeBron James and Michael Jordan who have their own successful alcohol brands. Harden hopped on to Kevin Durant’s The Boardroom to talk about how he thinks that his brand can be a big success in the future.
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Harden, while on an Adidas tour to China, promoted his brand and sold an astonishing 10,000 bottles in just a matter of seconds. This opened a new market for him while increasing the global visibility of his brand, building curiosity, and eventually converting prospects into clients. These factors have led Harden to believe that this could be a Billion-dollar business and help put him amongst names such as Magic, MJ, and Bron.
Harden’s fast track to the Billion dollar club
In the podcast, Harden spoke about how the Wine business was pretty black and white. He provided an example of how if we lined up 10 bottles of wine, all of them would look the same. This gave Harden an opportunity in the market or a need that he knew he could fulfill.
The Beard surely knows how to entertain and bring hype around a product. Along with his team, he saw a need to bring more excitement around the market and create the perfect bottle, and by the end of the year, he launched J-Harden Wines.
He said,
“As we look at the wine business it’s really black and white. You look at the wine shelf, you look at 10 bottles, they are all pretty much the same. We wanted to create some excitement around the wine business. Really creating a bottle that stands out. To be honest by year end we are doing that……… Creating a wine and creating a brand, you’re literally creating your own lane. It takes a lot of hardwork. Wine is global, I was in China it was a huge blowout there. If we do this right this business can be a couple of Billion dollars worth business.”
Drawing inspiration from iconic basketball figures like LeBron James and Michael Jordan, who have successfully established their own alcohol brands, Harden is eyeing a similar trajectory.
LeBron’s “Lobos 1707” tequila and Jordan’s “Cincoro” tequila are prime examples of how athletes can leverage their personal brand to create a business empire. By aligning their names with premium products, they’ve tapped into the growing demand for celebrity-endorsed offerings.
During a recent Adidas tour in China, the bottles flew off the shelves, ringing up a staggering $179,900 in sales in just 10 seconds. It was a jaw-dropping moment that left even Harden himself celebrating with cartwheels to express his gratitude to his Chinese fans.
Harden isn’t just content with a few successful sales; he’s envisioning something much bigger. The NBA star’s ambition is apparent in his belief that his wine brand has the potential to become a billion-dollar business. If he manages to turn his wine venture into a billion-dollar success story, Harden would join the ranks of basketball legends LeBron James and Michael Jordan as a billionaire athlete. However, it was another legend of the game who inspired him to do this.
Kobe inspires Harden to join the Wine Club
Interestingly, Harden’s leap into the world of wine was inspired by none other than the late great Kobe Bryant. Harden, like many others in the basketball world, was captivated by Kobe’s business acumen. He learned from Kobe’s strategic diversification of his brand, putting his name on endeavors that resonated with him personally.
Kobe’s strategic investments and remarkable success in turning a modest $6 million investment into a staggering $400 million empire served as an inspiration for Harden. The late Black Mamba’s ability to transition seamlessly from the hardwood to the boardroom showcased the importance of diversifying one’s portfolio and leveraging personal brand power.
Harden’s wine business is a page out of Kobe’s playbook – a move to expand his influence beyond the court and into a realm that reflects his own experiences and passions. Not only does it enable him to connect with fans on a different level, but it also aligns with his personal interests.
