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146w" />NLEX Road Warriors guard Kiefer Ravena has joined the iconic Jordan Brand.
Ravena made the announcement on Tuesday, May 4, becoming the first Filipino athlete to become a member of the Jordan Brand family.
“It’s an honor for me to be part of this basketball family. I’m both thankful and excited to be the first Filipino to be a member of the Jordan Brand,” he said.
“Seeing how MJ played during his time in the NBA, I collected his shoes and wanted to be a part of his camps in the US. My first pair of basketball shoes were Jordan 9s,” he added.
In a welcome post on the Jordan website, Ravena was noted as “one of the Philippines’ most exciting leaders.”
“Following his time at university, he was a developmental player for the NBA G-League’s Texas Legends before the NLEX Road Warriors selected him second overall in the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) draft. He’s recently averaged 19.4 points, 5.5. Rebounds and 4.6 assists per game,” the page read.
Ravena also expressed gratitude for joining the Jordan Brand.
“I feel like I’ve been welcomed with open arms. I still can’t believe it. I remember speaking to the Brand about it last year. The news has been embraced by a lot of people around me. It’s amazing to be part of this incredible team of athletes,” he said in an interview on the Jordan Brand website.
Ravena stressed that Filipino basketball is “all about heart.”
“We’ve always been underdogs. I want to bring back the time when people looked to Philippine basketball on the international stage — the glory days of Philippine basketball. Hopefully, we will be given a chance to do so,” he said.
For his part, Craig Williams, Jordan Brand president, said they were “inspired by Manila’s basketball culture and are thrilled to welcome our first Filipino athlete to the Jordan family.”
“Basketball has a powerful influence on youth culture around the globe, and Kiefer can inspire future generations of ballers to make an impact in their hometowns and beyond. We are united by a shared love for the game, and Kiefer – a two-time UAAP MVP and Champion – represents the passion and love for basketball that you see all over the Philippines,” he added.
Ravena is now among the roster of basketball athletes from the NBA and WNBA who are endorsers of the brand such as Zion Williamson, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Satou Sabally, Asia Durr, and Kia Nurse.