by Edwian Stokes
July 18, 2026
Black athletes use professional networking to secure equity, venture deals, and long-term autonomy
Professional athletes pursue business development alongside their sports careers instead of waiting until retirement. This approach applies beyond sports. Professionals in many fields can explore entrepreneurship, side businesses, or investments while advancing in their main careers. Developing business skills before a major career shift allows greater flexibility and future autonomy.
More athletes are using LinkedIn to secure equity partnerships, find venture capital deals, and build long-term autonomy before their playing careers end. LinkedIn reports a 31% increase in professional athlete users since 2021.
There’s a trending shift in the sports industry
This shift offers a model for the African American professional and business community. While Black athletes have excelled in sports, they have faced barriers to executive roles in the sports business. By mastering digital corporate networking, these athletes bypass conventional gatekeepers and move from endorsers to equity owners and fund managers. Actions include connecting directly with executives and founders through personalized LinkedIn messages, sharing knowledge in industry-specific posts, joining relevant professional groups, and requesting informational interviews to explore business opportunities. These steps help athletes build credibility, expand networks, and find paths to ownership and leadership.
NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady recently used LinkedIn to emphasize his transition into an executive role. As chief innovation officer at Huupe and a minority owner of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, McGrady manages his corporate reputation through his profile.
“Basketball gave me opportunities I never imagined,” McGrady mentioned in a recent LinkedIn post. “My responsibility now is to turn those opportunities into something that survives me and creates options for my children.”
For New York Knicks guard and 2026 NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, LinkedIn is a place for both philanthropic and business achievements. Brunson, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, uses his network to promote his Second Round Foundation and recently announced an equity stake in Just Salad, the company’s first athlete partnership.
This helps athletes control their narrative and connect with institutional investors. NFL wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins uses LinkedIn to discuss venture capital and micro-investing. As an early investor in Beyond Meat, Hopkins relies on his market research and financial expertise, gained through his studies in finance at Clemson University, to manage his portfolio and build his own investment fund.
Athletes see investment as a wise choice
“I bet on consumer brands I believe regular people will love, not just the ones that look good on paper,” Hopkins wrote, pointing to his investments in beverage startups like Olipop and Diamond Brew.
Younger players increasingly see corporate networking as essential. Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones, 24, posts twice a week to analyze game film and feature tech startups. While others focused on the NBA Draft, Jones attended the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France and secured an investment partnership with Robot.com.
During away games, Jones schedules meetings with local tech founders and venture capitalists, and has recently visited firms in Boston and Washington.
“The weight of each follower on LinkedIn carries a lot more than any other platform,” Jones told Front Office Sports. “Venture capital is a fairly small community… my due diligence has only increased with the increasing network.”
Corporate leaders observe that athletes’ transparency is modifying how the wider business community evaluates performance.
“They are really people who are thinking critically about their performance, about what it means to get ahead,” said Laura Lorenzetti, senior director and global executive editor at LinkedIn. “That helps everybody think about their own performance.”
For Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and executives, these athletes present a practical model for career autonomy. To get started, build a respected digital reputation by consistently updating your LinkedIn profile to reflect your latest roles, projects, and skills. Share posts about your achievements, insights, and lessons learned from your career path to showcase your knowledge and genuineness.
Connect with decision-makers and industry leaders by sending personalized messages that highlight common interests or offer thoughtful feedback on their work. When making contact, briefly introduce yourself, highlight what you admire about their background, and explain why you would value a conversation. Maintain fiscal oversight by seeking resources on financial empowerment, taking online courses, or consulting experts to guide your business decisions.
Finally, look for ways to convert online connections into business equity by using your network to learn about partnership opportunities, request introductions, and attend online or face-to-face industry events. These effective steps help build credibility, promote meaningful relationships, and open doors to ownership and leadership.
By treating professional identity as an active asset, these athletes demonstrate that economic self-determination depends on maintaining visibility in spaces where capital circulates.
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