The NBA has partnered with YouTube to let basketball fans see more of the league’s lifestyle and culture.  

New videos on YouTube Shorts will see NBA players and YouTube influencers do things like try on pre-game outfits, build dance routines for winning plays and share candid thoughts on ketchup chips and poutine. 

Among the NBA players involved are the Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes, New York Knicks rising star RJ Barrett, Indiana Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin, OKC Thunder guard Luguentz Dort and Dallas Mavericks big man, Dwight Powell. Meanwhile, the top Canadian YouTube creators taking part in the new endeavor include Basement Gang, Jad Slaibeh (Chad with a J), Jaclyn Forbes, Neema Naz, Torri Webster and Harjit & Jaz (YouTwoTV).  

“We wanted to take the fan experience one step further by showing a side of the players fans don’t get to see on the court, and shine a spotlight on the incredible Canadian talent we have in the league, and on YouTube,” said Alyssa Whited, YouTube Canada’s marketing lead. Cheryl Sebastian, director of global partnerships for NBA Canada, added that the content is way to showcase the players’ “dynamic personalities” and connect with Canadian fans, especially younger ones that spend time on YouTube. 

YouTube Shorts is built around short-form videos, created as a way for the platform to compete with the growing popularity of TikTok. After releasing in beta in late 2020, it launched globally in July 2021. In its most recent financial quarter, Google said the platform was gaining 1.5 billion users monthly and 30 billion daily views, ahead of launching ad options and new monetization opportunities for creators in September.