During NBA All-Star Weekend, adidas hosted its “World’s Best Career Day” as past of the brand’s Legacy Program launch in Chicago. Superstars from the NBA, WNBA, and entertainment industry were in attendance and held mentoring workshops for Chicago youths.
The Legacy Program launched in LA in 2017 reaching 11 schools, later expanding to 9 schools in New York. For its Chicago launch, the Legacy Program reached out to 8 Chicago Public High Schools mentoring 240 students, 120 boys and 120 girls.
The Legacy Program’s goal is to “unite, empower and inspire student athletes from underrepresented communities so they can unlock their passion and reimagine the future.” The program aims to help students carve their paths and introduce them to different careers within professional sports, design, music, broadcasting, business, gaming, photography and film.
Interactive workshops were held throughout the day, each lead by one or a few stars. Highlights included Jonah Hill’s film workshop where James Harden surprised the students and made a guest appearance in their film. Derrick Rose helped inspire students and gave them feedback on their footwear designs. Candace Parker, Chiney Ogwumike, Maria Taylor and Tracy McGrady gave students a first-hand look into the world of broadcast journalism at the Broadcasting Lab.
The workshop lineup and mentors for ‘World’s Best Career Day’ included:
- Apparel Lab: James Harden, Daniel Patrick
- Sneaker Lab: Derrick Rose
- Broadcasting Lab: Candace Parker, Chiney Ogwumike, Maria Taylor and Tracy McGrady
- Music Lab: Pusha T, Rapsody, Liz Cambage
- Filmmaking: Jonah Hill, Alexis Jones
- Gaming Lab: Ninja, Zach LaVine, Sugar Gamers
- Creative Business Lab: Fat Tiger Workshop (Creative collective and Streetwear Shop Owners)
- Special Guests: Kyle Lowry and Patrick Beverley
Brandon Walker, Senior Manager of adidas Basketball, says that adidas is here to stay in Chicago and is committed to continuing helping and providing resources to Chicago communities. Check out photos from the ‘World’s Best Career Day’ below.
Photos: adidas