K-pop girl group LE SSERAFIM teams up with NBA for multi-year collaboration. | Image: Contributed photo/Instagram, @jenaissante
K-pop sensation LE SSERAFIM signed up for a multi-year collaboration with the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the girl group is set to headline the league’s celebrity and influencer program in Asia called “Friends of the NBA.”
Launched in 2022, “Friends of the NBA” features celebrities and influencers from across the Asia-Pacific region who participate in NBA games, events and programming.
As announced on Friday, April 5, the collaboration between the North American professional basketball league and the five-member girl group will be a celebration of the intersection of sports and music as one of the ways “to engage fans in new and creative ways.”
“We’re thrilled to team up with breakout K-pop sensation LE SSERAFIM, a young and dynamic group of NBA fans. Through this collaboration, we look forward to bringing NBA and K-pop fans together in South Korea, across Asia, and around the world and broadening the reach of our game as we celebrate this convergence of music, culture and sports.” said NBA Chief Marketing Officer Tammy Henault in a statement.
LE SSERAFIM echoed the basketball association’s sentiment by recalling their enjoyable experience when they watched one of the NBA games in 2023.
“We are so excited to collaborate with the NBA through its ‘Friends of the NBA’ program. We had a great time watching an NBA game in person last year in LA! We look forward to working together with the league to experience so much more with NBA fans around the world.” said the K-pop girl group.
Last November, LE SSERAFIM members Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha and Hong Chae trended online after they visited the NBA headquarters and watched the LA Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers game.
With this newly formed collaboration, the five members are expected to participate in the league’s promotional activities, attend NBA games, and share their individual journeys as NBA fans on their social media, which will encourage fans to engage.
LE SSERAFIM, an anagram of the words “I’M FEARLESS,” debuted in May 2022 and has released hits including “FEARLESS,” “ANTIFRAGILE,” and “Perfect Night,” among others. Their recent single “EASY” earned the group its first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and its first Top 10 song on the Billboard Global 200 chart.