The best basketball players in the world want to make it to the NBA, where a pro career can earn them money, fame, and recognition. It also throws them into the spotlight: They’re suddenly role models and public figures. How do they balance elevating their performance while developing their personal and professional brands? And once they’re done playing basketball, what comes next?
NBA Player Development helps players answer these questions and navigate who they are on and off the court.
NBA Player Development hosts in-person programming at NBA events for players at different stages of their careers. Their team called on Reingold to transform these events into immersive experiences that engage players on a deeper emotional level.
Reingold created innovative and engaging experiential designs for a variety of NBA events. In 2024 alone, Reingold supported:
Each event featured custom environmental creations that wove interactive elements, technology, and personal narratives into a cohesive brand.
“Our stories are all unfinished.” That was the theme of the one-hour engagement celebrating the NBA’s rising stars.
A central stage set the scene for former NBA Guard Brandon Jennings to share his story in a three-act performance. For each act, Reingold created unique visual backdrops using sizzle reels and custom illustrations to represent each stage of Jennings’ life: childhood, NBA career, and fashion entrepreneurship. With these backdrops, Jennings began his performance in his childhood living room, walked into an NBA locker room, and then ended in his fashion studio. Reingold provided on-site support and management during the event to time the visuals with the live engagement.
To create a unique and personalized experience for each of the 30 attending players, Reingold designed custom illustrations featuring personal moments and phrases from each player’s life. We intentionally staged the room with the backlit artwork to weave the players’ personal stories into the physical environment. Each player illustration included a unique QR code that attendees could scan to access the digital version and order a print.
Reingold created a post-event sizzle reel that captured the event’s intimate feel and curated aesthetic. The video received industry acclaim, including a gold MarCom Award, a platinum Muse Award and a grand NYX Award.
During the 2024 Summer League, Reingold led the design and execution of an industrial warehouse takeover. We transformed the warehouse into three pop-up spaces that enabled players to take a step back and consider their passions outside of basketball spaces – Office Hours, Yoga in the Valley, and Vision: West.
The “Office Hours” pop-up established a space for players to engage in organic conversations and find inspiration. Co-branded with The Marathon, Nipsey Hussle’s legacy organization, this experience transformed the room with environmental graphic designs, mixed-media projections, and digital video content. One interactive element included asking attendees to write a commitment on a brick to create a community wall.
NBA Player Development and NBA Mind Health teamed up to host Yoga in the Valley sessions throughout the weekend. Reingold created custom branding and environmental video backdrops to embed the space with branded projections.
Supporting Vision: West for the second year, Reingold created a new event mark and visual identity for the theme “Interlude.” This event partnered musical artists with NBA players from the same hometowns to share their stories through freestyle performances. Reingold amplified these performances with animated video backdrops and custom graphics for each duo.
The Rookie Transition Program is a three-day event that onboards NBA rookies to the league at the NBA’s office in Secaucus, New Jersey. Reingold designed the event’s branding and environmental designs, ultimately transforming the large office building into an engaging and high-impact space.
Starting by developing a 3D rendering of the space, Reingold assessed the visual opportunities and considered all aspects of the attendee experience. The finished look lined the entryway in designed vinyl wall coverings, creating a fully immersive check-in experience.
Each player’s check-in badge was placed on a world map on the wall, corresponding to their home nation. Vinyl designs, foam boards, and columns decorated the main atrium and breakout session spaces.
Reingold also created an interactive web app to provide event details and additional information to players. Titled “The Atlas,” this resource featured maps to guide each player through the presentations and activities.
The Atlas used automated schedules corresponding to the start and end times of sessions, as well as informational pages with hand-drawn illustrations recapping each presentation. It was optimized for Microsoft Surface Go 4 tablets, which were provided to players for use during the program.
As NBA Player Development’s events continue to evolve, so does Reingold’s approach to elevating what’s possible and innovating experiential work.
