Naomi Osaka is launching a new media company in partnership with NBA superstar LeBron James, the tennis player announced.
“I’m so excited for what we are building at Hana Kuma. We will bring stories to life with this goal in mind: to make unique perspectives feel universal and inspire people along the way,” said the four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka.
Hana Kuma means “flower bear” in Japanese and will produce stories that are universal to all audiences.
The SpringHill Company, a media conglomerate created by James and Maverick Carter, will provide production and strategic resources to Hana Kuma, the release said. The new company has partnerships with crypto exchange platform FTX and platform Modern Health.
The Japanese American Osaka said that there has been an explosion of creators of color finally being equipped with resources and a huge platform. “In the streaming age, content has a more global perspective,” she said.
Osaka, 24, also is co-owner of the sports agency Evolve.
According to Forbes, Osaka became the world’s highest-paid female athlete with about $37 million earned in 2020, thanks to a long list of sponsorship deals. James just became the first active NBA player to have a net worth of $1 billion, also according to Forbes.
The company’s first production will be a New York Times documentary about Patsy Mink, the first woman of color elected to U.S. Congress.
