Fashion Icon Karl Kani Enters NIL Era with First-Ever Athlete Signing: King Kendrick

SAN FRANCISCO - May 24, 2025 - PRLog -- Karl Kani made history designing for the biggest names in hip-hop and being the first non-sportswear brand seen on NBA courts. Now he's making history again.

In a first for the Kani brand, the designer has signed a state champion high school athlete, known as King Kendrick, to an NIL deal in partnership with Overtime Sports Management Group (OSMG).

King Kendrick brings a fluid, ambidextrous game to basketball that is already drawing attention. In a recent press conference at All-Star weekend, Kyrie Irving mentioned Kendrick by name and spoke about how the next generation of players will need to be truly ambidextrous to compete at the highest level.

To create the visuals for the King x Kani "90s Kid" campaign, Kani brought in celebrity photographer Carell Augustus, author of the Black Hollywood Book project, to showcase classic and exclusive looks at the intersection of sport, fashion, and culture.

Karl Kani will serve as Investor, Mentor, Stylist, and Creator. This partnership marks a new chapter in how athlete identity is built and expressed.