NBA, Vivo sign partnership

NBA great Alonzo Mourning has no social media account, but he understands that the platform is key contributor in the growth of the game of basketball as players are opening their lives to their fans around the world through internet.

Alonzo, who started his NBA career in 1992 as the second overall pick of the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA Rookie Draft, said that he doesn’t enjoy the world of social media because it’s time consuming.

But he knows social media plays a great role in connecting to others whether small or big groups.

“I think social media is extremely important,” said the 48-year-old Mourning Thursday night at the official launch of the partnership between the NBA and Vivo at the Sofitel’s Harbour Tent in Pasay City.

“I’m not a huge social media advocate. I don’t do Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. I don’t do any of that at all. But I know the importance of it. It allows our players to brand themselves even more.”

“It helps regrow the brand of the game of basketball when the players are using social media to expose their lives to the basketball fans around the world. So I think it’s extremely important,” he added.

“I think it’s a great tool for our younger players so that we can connect with the basketball fans around the world. It’s a great tool for them,” added Mourning at the event attended by top Vivo officials and their counterparts from the NBA Philippines.

Vivo, a leading smartphone manufacturer and official Smartphone of NBA China, formalized the multi-year marketing partnership that will make Vivo the Official Smartphone of NBA in the Philippines.