SUGA of K-pop supergroup BTS has been named on Thursday as a brand-new National Basketball Association (NBA) Ambassador for the rest of the 2022/2023 season.
In a statement, the NBA said: “As an NBA Ambassador, SUGA will engage NBA fans around the world through the remainder of the 2022-23 NBA season and beyond.”
The South Korean rapper’s love for basketball has been widely publicized throughout his music career. In fact, his stage name is also inspired by the sport. SUGA (pronounced like ‘shooga’) comes from the first syllables of “shooting guard” which is the basketball position Yoongi used to play.
“SUGA, an avid NBA fan, will participate in several league initiatives that will be featured on the NBA’s and his personal social media channels, including attending NBA games and events in the U.S. and Asia, and participating in the league’s promotional activities,” the NBA said.
SUGA also said in a statement that music and basketball have been his shared passions since he was young, that’s why it’s a dream for him to be named an NBA Ambassador.
With this partnership extending to SUGA’s projects, the NBA will have a presence throughout SUGA’s first solo world tour, collaborating around select concerts in celebration of the release of SUGA’s debut solo album “D-DAY.”
