How Nike Built the Stories Behind Kobe and LeBron (And What Every Brand Can Learn From It)
The Vault Unlocked
October 1, 2026
Most people who stall out in their careers never find out why. They did the work and hit the numbers, then watched someone else get the room, the budget, and the title. The rules that decided it were never written down, and nobody was going to hand them over.
Speakers Kayvon Kay, Arturo Nunez
SPEAKER_1 (0:00)
Kobe Bryant used to ask one question.
Are you curious or are you committed?
The curious turned back the first time they hit a roadblock. The committed saw it coming and planned to walk right through it. My guest heard that from Kobe as a friend. Arturo Nunez ran global basketball marketing at Nike, built the NBA's presence across Latin America, and told the stories of LeBron, Kobe, and KD to the entire world. He grew up in 1970s Harlem, the son of parents with a 4th grade education, and he climbed all the way to the C-suite. Today he breaks down the rules nobody writes in the employee handbook, why the real meeting happens before the meeting, why a mentor and a sponsor are not the same thing, and why you need both, and why the best player in the league still wasn't anybody's favorite. This is The Vault. Let's unlock it.
Kayvon Kay (1:09)
Arturo, welcome to the show.
Arturo Nunez (1:11)
Hey, what's up, Kayvon? How are you doing?
Kayvon Kay (1:13)
I'm doing great. Excited to be here. I know you got to actually in your past work with some pretty impressive people. Kobe Bryant?
Arturo Nunez (1:22)
Yes, sir.
Kayvon Kay (1:23)
The late, we should say the late Kobe Bryant?
Arturo Nunez (1:26)
The late Kobe Bryant, the late great Quincy Jones, LeBron James, the current reigning king of the NBA, LeBron James.
Kayvon Kay (1:34)
Wow. We'll see. I don't know. We'll see about that. But yeah, I'm just joking.
Yet to be seen. But in all seriousness, I mean, these are pretty big names. Tell us a little bit about how you got to be working with guys like that. Yeah.
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