SEOUL - The National Basketball Association (NBA) and BELIFT LAB Inc., a label under HYBE Co. Ltd. (HYBE), the industry-leading global entertainment lifestyle company, today announced a multiyear collaboration that will see K-pop powerhouse ENHYPEN join "Friends of the NBA," the league's celebrity and influencer program in Asia.
Through the collaboration, seven-member boy band ENHYPEN, which features JUNGWON, HEESEUNG, JAY, JAKE, SUNGHOON, SUNOO, and NI-KI, will engage NBA fans around the world in new and creative ways, including by participating in NBA ID sweepstakes in Japan and South Korea ahead of the 2025 NBA Finals that tip off on Thursday, June 5 in the U.S., and collaborating on a variety of content that will be featured on the NBA and ENHYPEN's social media channels. Additionally, ENHYPEN will participate in select events globally and share their NBA experiences with fans on social media.
The collaboration between the NBA and ENHYPEN builds on the league's growing relationship with K-Pop that began with BTS star SUGA, who was named an NBA Ambassador in 2023, and LE SSERAFIM, a five-member girl group that joined "Friends of the NBA" in April 2024.
"We are thrilled to be teaming up with the NBA," said ENHYPEN. "We look forward to creating unique experiences with NBA fans around the world in new and exciting ways, even beyond the stage."
"ENHYPEN is one of the most popular K-pop groups in the world, and we can't wait to work more closely with this talented collection of artists who share a love for basketball and the NBA," said NBA Chief Marketing Officer Tammy Henault. "K-pop continues to be a cornerstone of music and culture, and we're excited to collaborate with ENHYPEN on a compelling fusion of sports and entertainment that speaks to so many of our fans around the world."
Additional information about the collaboration will be announced at a later date. Fans can visit www.nba.com/ENHYPEN to sign up to receive updates and follow ENHYPEN on Weverse.
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.
About ENHYPEN
ENHYPEN -- consisting of members JUNGWON, HEESEUNG, JAY, JAKE, SUNGHOON, SUNOO, and NI-KI -- have swiftly ascended to global prominence as a K-pop powerhouse, with record-breaking achievements since their 2020 debut. Bursting onto the scene with their debut mini-album BORDER : DAY ONE, the group made an immediate impact with unique concepts shaping their artistic identity. In just three years, they've placed three albums in the Billboard 200 Top 10 -- MANIFESTO : DAY 1 (2022), DARK BLOOD (2023), and ORANGE BLOOD (2023) -- each debuting at No. 6, No. 4, and No. 4, respectively. Their 2nd Studio Album ROMANCE : UNTOLD (2024) hit the group's career-high No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and ranked highest among K-pop acts on the 2024 IFPI Global Album Chart. Building on their chart-topping success, ENHYPEN have expanded their influence globally, achieving an indelible milestone during their 2023 world tour 'FATE' with a landmark U.S. stadium debut. The septet has performed at Coachella this year, becoming the fastest K-pop boy group to grace the festival.
About the NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2024-25 season featured a record-tying 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries. NBA Digital's assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.5 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms. NBA Cares, the NBA's global social responsibility platform, partners with renowned community-based organizations around the world to address important social issues in the areas of education, inclusion, youth and family development, and health and wellness.