Tennis player Naomi Osaka is launching a media production company in partnership with NBA star LeBron James’ media group, The SpringHill Company.
The move by Osaka and her agent and business partner Stuart Duguid to collaborate with The SpringHill Company is the latest business launch for the tennis star.
The SpringHill Company is an entertainment production conglomerate co-founded by James and businessman Maverick Carter.
News of the launch comes after Osaka and Duguid co-founded athlete representation agency Evolve last month.
The new production company, Hana Kuma, will produce scripted and nonfiction content, beginning with a documentary from The New York Times about the first woman of color elected to Congress, Patsy Mink. The company will highlight “empowering” and “culturally specific” stories, according to a press release.
“There has been an explosion of creators of color finally being equipped with resources and a huge platform,” Osaka said in the release. “In the streaming age, content has a more global perspective. You can see this in the popularity of television from Asia, Europe and Latin America that the unique can also be universal. My story is a testament to that as well.”
Hana Kuma will receive production and strategic resources from The SpringHill Company, according to the release. Hana Kuma also has partnerships with crypto exchange platform FTX and health platform Modern Health.
Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion. She recently said she would be skipping Wimbledon for the second year in a row. The tennis star has not competed on tour since last month’s first-round loss at the French Open.
