Twitch Star Kai Cenat Joins NBA Creator Program for Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Content

The NBA is collaborating with Twitch sensation Kai Cenat as part of its new initiative aimed at influencers. This program will feature an enhanced Creator Cup Series, a novel content-sharing network, and much more.

Kai Cenat stands out as one of the most prominent streamers online, having shattered numerous Twitch records and even unintentionally sparking a riot during a meet-and-greet event in Times Square.

Throughout his streaming career, he has welcomed a variety of celebrity guests onto his shows and has even appeared in an advertisement for McDonald’s. Now, he’s setting his sights even higher with a partnership with the NBA.

Kai Cenat holding a McDonald's Chicken Big Mac. — Twitch: KaiCenat

Kai Cenat continues to dominate social media, recently featuring in a McDonald’s commercial released in October 2024.

On October 21, the NBA announced significant developments tailored for creators during the 2024 – 25 season. This season, they are collaborating with influencers to create behind-the-scenes (BTS) content covering a variety of topics from food trends to fashion highlights.

“Creators play a pivotal role in the NBA’s content landscape, allowing us to engage with new audiences in creative ways,” stated the NBA’s Senior Vice President of Social and Digital Content. “Since launching our creator initiative in 2016, we’ve seen incredible growth, and we’re excited to see what this season will unveil.”

The inaugural event of this program will spotlight Kai Cenat on October 22, where he will provide fans with exclusive behind-the-scenes coverage of the New York Knicks versus Boston Celtics game. Additionally, popular influencer Drew Afualo will showcase her experience at the Phoenix Suns versus LA Clippers game on Wednesday, October 23.

“Being a lifelong fan of the NBA, collaborating with the league and fellow creators to deliver unprecedented content to my fans this season is a dream come true,” Kai Cenat expressed about this exciting opportunity.

Kai Cenat’s collaboration with the NBA follows his funny initiative, the Little Basketball Association, which he hosted from late September to early October.

This is merely the beginning of the NBA’s innovative creator strategy. The league is also enhancing its partnership with WSC Sports to expand its network of NBA Playmakers, granting influencers such as Thinking Basketball and Swish Cultures “unprecedented access” to over 25,000 hours of NBA game footage, along with advanced AI-driven editing tools.

Moreover, the NBA is joining forces with Meta to provide creators access at games for fan meet-and-greet events, as well as demonstrations of their Quest platform. They are also partnering with Snapchat to feature top creators who will generate content for their account under the Snap Creator Program.

Additionally, the NBA’s Creator Correspondent Program returns for its second year, allowing leading influencers to provide live courtside insights during games.

This latest achievement for Kai Cenat comes on the heels of his work with the Little Basketball Association, where he established a basketball league for children and broadcasted their games in late September 2024. Although he humorously claimed to be “quitting streaming” to pursue basketball, it seems that the basketball community has been keenly watching him all along.

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