Sports Culture & Collabs

Culture & Collabs

A key part of building the RKL brand was making sure it felt bigger than the game itself. It had to be rooted in real-world sports culture while staying playful, bold, and unique. I conceptualized and led collaborations with globally recognized partners like Gatorade, Under Armour, SLAM, and Stance to bring that vision to life.

These weren’t surface-level partnerships. They appeared in-game, across social media, in sold-out merch drops, and even broke engagement records. From Steph Curry and Paul George to WNBA athletes and streetwear, these moments positioned RKL at the intersection of basketball, gaming, and style.

RKL x Stance

RKL teamed up with Stance and NBA star Paul George to launch a limited-edition sock drop that existed in both the digital and physical worlds.

We produced a campaign film featuring Paul George, inviting players to claim their in-game RKL x Stance socks and purchase their IRL twin .

The physical product came as a Collector’s Edition box containing three exclusive pairs of socks, each inspired by rare Kong furs and one of PG’s personal Kongs. The collaboration blended fashion, basketball, and innovation, reinforcing RKL’s identity as a brand that lives beyond the screen.

3K+ Digital
Items Claimed

Physical Collector’s
Box Sold Out

AAA Athlete
Integration

Profits donated
PG Foundation

RKL x Gatorade

RKL partnered with Gatorade to create a deep, narrative-driven collaboration that brought their brand into RKL’s universe through
a gamified animated mini-series.

As players dove into each of the three episodes and solved puzzles, they earned coins to use on a futuristic Gatorade Vending Machine, unlocking multiple limited-edition in-game Gatorade cosmetics.

2.9 M+
Total Reach

New Gatorade Engagement Record

150K+
Unique Users

3min 40s
Av. Engagement

307K+
Wearables Minted

RKL x Slam Magazine

As one of the most iconic voices in basketball culture, SLAM Magazine was a natural fit for RKL’s nostalgia-driven, hoops-inspired universe.

We partnered with them to create a fully branded in-game season that brought SLAM’s energy, credibility, and streetball roots directly into the game.

Players could unlock SLAM-themed lootboxes packed with exclusive cosmetics and rewards, bridging digital play with real-world prizes like SLAM subscriptions, limited-edition RKL x SLAM hoodies, and Collector’s Edition metal-back covers.

RKL Drops

We launched a series of limited-edition capsule collections that brought the RKL brand into the world of streetwear.

Each drop blended bold design with basketball nostalgia, turning fans into brand ambassadors, avid collectors and strengthening RKL’s presence beyond the mobile game.

RKL x NBA Athletes

RKL found its way into the NBA and WNBA spotlight, with stars like Steph Curry, Paul George, Tyrese Haliburton, and Kayla McBridde, and others, proudly repping the brand on and off the court.

This Pro-Athlete strategy positioned RKL alongside major sports names like Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour, giving RKL its space in an exclusive basketball culture and introducing the brand to a passionate, die-hard fanbase.