Sponsorships are a massive part of the NBA and especially for the Toronto Raptors.
This season featured a significant increase of deals, particularly with Gradey Dick coming to Toronto. Coming out of Kansas, Dick earned a bit of notoriety leading up to being selected by Toronto.
These sponsorships are particularly popular with rookies as companies are looking for fresh faces. Dick became a no brainer due to his following coming out of college.
Marketing Brew released a new report putting together the total number of sponsorships for each team. The Washington Wizards came in at No. 1 with 122 deals.
However, in a close second were the Raptors at 114. Then at third was the New Orleans Pelicans with 109 deals. According to SponsorUnited, Dick and Detroit Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson and Houston Rockets rookie Amen Thompson are climbing the ranks.
Those three rookies are found to be ‘quickly rising to brand stardom,’ particularly Dick who secured eight endorsements this season with brands like Gillette and Chipotle. Ultimately, he finished with a total of 12, which is surprisingly fourth-most in the league.
It became evident when the 20-year-old stepped foot in Canada that he was going to be a fan favorite and popular player league wide. Brands were quick to recognize that and it surely will not be the last knocking at his door.
As Dick continues to develop and establish himself as a valuable role player with the Raptors, more deals are bound to be heading his way. When the 2024-25 season finishes, it will be intriguing to see if this year’s total of 12 grows and by how much.
Gradey Dick becomes investor and brand ambassador for GURU Organic Energy
Before his rookie campaign even begun, Dick became an investor and ambassador for GURU Organic Energy. For a 20-year-old to be given this kind of opportunity before playing a single minute in the NBA is remarkable.
Dick spoke about the possibility of fostering a meaningful relationship with GURU and why he chose to invest into the company.
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