Whoop and LeBron James officially locked in their partnership on Thursday, with the basketball icon joining the fitness tracking manufacturer as a global ambassador, extending his long-time relationship with the brand.
James has been a Whoop user for 11 years, one of the first 100 members in 2015 and later became an investor in the Boston-based company as it built up its valuation ahead of leaning into a public offering.
The announcement was timed to mark the 23rd anniversary of James’ NBA debut in 2003 and his lengthy career serves as an example of performance, recovery and longevity but also keeping tabs on important health insights and metrics.
“I’ve spent my career doing everything possible to keep my body at peak performance,” James said. “For the last 11 years, Whoop has been part of that. I know my body better today than I did at 25. I’m not trying to be great for my age. I’m trying to be great, period. That’s why making this partnership official feels like a natural next step.”
James, 41, has been seen wearing Whoop bands for years and in March, the company revealed that he was part of its Series G funding round that brought in $575 million on a $10 billion valuation and also included athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo, Rory McIlroy and Reggie Miller.
Meanwhile, a pivot toward an IPO grows closer for Whoop, which has expanded its leadership ranks in recent months and in August agreed to lease over 100,000 square feet of office space near its Boston headquarters — doubling its footprint in the city.
“LeBron James represents the pinnacle of performance and longevity,” Will Ahmed, founder and CEO of Whoop said. “He was one of the first 100 Whoop members long before anyone had ever heard of Strain or our Recovery Score. Now, 11 years later, we’re so proud to have him as a global ambassador.”
According to Whoop, James is among the top ten percent of sleep efficiency across the entire Whoop ecosystem, showing his commitment to rest and recovery. James has also not missed a single day of data collection this year, maintaining a 100 percent wear rate.
Sleep remains an essential part of James’ arsenal of consistency, recovery and preparedness. On his 40th birthday last December, James racked up nine hours of sleep and was given an 80+ percent recovery score.
James announced in July that he would join the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option for his 24th season in the league.
