CORRECTION: This article previously stated that Mama was the first NBA 2K League player with an individual endorsement deal. Mavs Gaming’s Dimez, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, was named a HyperX Heroes ambassador in February.
NBA 2K League star Nidal “MamaImDatMan” Nasser has been named a brand endorser for Point3 Hoops, marking the second individual endorsement deal for an NBA 2K League player.
Nidal Nasser on Twitter
History💫 . Been wanting to share this for a while now. Again… THANK YOU! https://t.co/bRDGooxAwD
The 2019 MVP, entering his third year as point guard for Blazer5 Gaming, signed with Point3, a basketball apparel company known for its patented sweat-absorbing technology. The company boasts investments from notable names such as former Golden State Warriors guard Baron Davis.
“I’m blessed and honored to be the first endorsed player in our league,” Mama told DIMER. “I hope that my blessing allows other players to get the chance to be endorsed by a great company like Point3. At the end of the day we’re all we’ve got, and we can’t make this league blow up without each other.”
Blazer5 Gaming has been the league’s No. 1 seed for two consecutive years, but despite its regular season success the team has struggled to make an impact in the postseason. The team has started the 2020 campaign 2-0, but continues to look for all the small advantages it can find to break its postseason struggles.
“There’s moments throughout the game where your hand just becomes so moist, because you’re gripping on the controller so hard, you don’t realize it,” Mama told ESPN. “The grip you have on your controller allows you to make those quicker reflexes. It’s so hard to explain, but that’s the biggest difference. It’s kind of like a gaming edge.”
While NBA 2K League players have usually worn sweatpants on stage during live league games, Point3’s technology will likely prove beneficial for the 2019 MVP.
“All of our gear is very custom designed for the basketball player,” POINT 3 CEO Michael Luscher said. “So we went about studying gamers and esports in a similar capacity — where will they wipe hands when they put their controllers down? What did their jerseys need to fit like?”
This is hopefully just the next step for Mama, who was also named week two’s Player of the Week. Endorsement deals are commonplace for professional athletes and Mama’s deal should help unlock potential opportunities not only for himself but for other NBA 2K League players.
