Jaylen Brown is launching his own sports brand thanks to Kobe Bryant

NBA champion Jaylen Brown did the other of most superstars once they were offered a giant contract. He turned down the offer, but as a substitute decided to start his own brand, crediting the thought to the late Kobe Bryant.

In an exclusive interview with and , a Boston Celtics player discussed his latest enterprise, 741, a footwear and sports brand. After meeting with several firms and never feeling the offers thrown at him, Brown announced that he followed the trail that the nice Kobe planned. The Lakers legend was planning to start his own sports company, so he decided to do the identical.

After turning down $50 million in sponsorship deals, he launched 741 in September.

“Honestly, I got the thought from Kobe (Bryant), rest in peace. Before his death, he planned to launch his own shoe brand, sign contracts with athletes and offer them higher deals and percentages. I remember reading an article about it and pondering it was bullshit. I analyzed my own experiences of working for big corporations and the way they value your creativity and also you. I’ve tried every brand and none of them stood out. Everyone approaches things the identical way. I used to be on the lookout for a brand of the long run, not a brand of the past. I could not find it so I had to start.

Brown also stated that he also helped design products for his line. Outside of design, he said that creating 741 allowed him to explore his creativity.

“I designed all the pieces myself. I used to be just on the factory in South Korea, on the road, ensuring all the pieces was done the way in which I believed it must be. I’ve done probably close to $50 million value of deals (from other brands) to start something on my own. And it wasn’t because I didn’t like the cash they were offering. It’s because these contracts pigeonholed me and didn’t allow me to be creative.

Brown also said he didn’t want to force anything when it comes to brand promotion. He favors a slow-build approach and admitted that “it doesn’t have to be the hottest brand on the street tomorrow.”