New revelations have surfaced about the internal turmoil at Aspiration, the now-defunct green banking startup, over its $28 million endorsement deal with NBA star Kawhi Leonard.
According to leaked emails and a joint statement from former senior executives, the deal was pushed through despite strong internal objections, some of which labeled Leonard a “regional star” with limited national appeal.
In 2021, Aspiration signed Leonard’s KL2 Aspire LLC to a multimillion-dollar contract that included minimal promotional obligations. Leonard was required to participate in just one eight-hour production day, one four-hour PR session, two community events, and a handful of social media interactions. He also retained full veto power over any requests that conflicted with his personal beliefs.
While the deal was approved by then-CEO Andrei Cherny, it reportedly bypassed Aspiration’s investment committee and was never reviewed by the company’s broader leadership team.
Former CFO Rojeh Avanesian, COO Mike Shuckerow, and CTO Eric Anderson issued a joint statement calling the agreement “strategically difficult to justify.” They argued that Leonard’s limited media presence and quiet public persona made him a poor fit for a brand seeking national visibility.
One internal email reportedly described Leonard as a “regional star”. The controversy has drawn the attention of the NBA, which is investigating whether the deal was used to circumvent salary cap rules. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who invested $50 million in Aspiration, has denied any involvement in the arrangement. However, the league is scrutinizing whether the endorsement was a backdoor incentive tied to Leonard’s tenure with the Clippers.
