He has a toughness and is of a height the casual fan can understand…he played for a mid-major program and battled his way to the NBA…he has a championship ring…he has a multinational appeal since he was not born in the U.S…he hangs with supermodels who can add to his brand value…he is already a mega-star in his home country. And he’s not Steve Nash or Tony Parker. He is J.J. Barea, and from a marketing standpoint if he ends up with the right team, he could be the most marketable new face in the NBA.
Some thoughts on why. Barea has proved himself on the court with a toughness and leadership abilities that were key to the Dallas Mavericks run to the NBA title last spring. he is relatively young, injury free and has improved his scoring skills every year. He is multi-lingual and is a cult hero in basketball-crazy Puerto Rico, where he adorns billboards and his sponsorships with some of the biggest brands on the planet. It also doesn’t hurt that he is dating, and will soon father a child with, Zuleyka Rivera, another Puerto Rican with wide appeal as former Miss Universe. Like Nash and Parker, his size and style of play appeal to every casual hoops player out there, and that increases his marketability as well.
The NBA’s strong push into the latino community will also grow with Barea in a major market. yes teams do look to “market” to those communities, but that type of grassroots appeal needs stars who can speak the language, understand the culture and want the responsibility of taking part in that growth. Eduardo Najera helped with inroads into the Mexican community, but he was never of the star power and appeal that Barea could have, nor could he have the influence of millions of Puerto Ricans. Najera was “latino” but he was not Puerto Rican, and that makes a world of difference. If Barea ends up in a major market, from New York to Miami to LA, the potential for brand sponsorships not just for him, but for the league and that market, could be tremendous. It could also open further doors for Puerto Rica-specific growth into the NBA, from tourism to high end alcohol, all tied around a telegenic personality with a championship pedigree whose star is on the rise.
Doe sit have to be the right deal financially for an NBA team? Of course. However the intangible of Barea’s marketing appeal should also be making some teams salivate as they look to bring in new revenue streams and fill distressed seats. He could be the right rising star for the right crossover market at the right time for a league excited to get back to business, on and off the court.
