GENIES AND NBPA PARTNER TO BRING BASKETBALL SUPERSTARS TO LIFE AS INTERACTIVE AVATARS FOR GAMES AND APPS

Genies Enables Player Avatars to Be Made Available to Developers

LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Genies, the AI avatar technology company powering the next era of interactive digital identity, and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) today announced a licensing partnership to offer Genie avatars for NBPA members, opening up new ways for players to connect with fans across games and apps. Through the collaboration, Genie avatars may be licensed to developers to create games and apps, supercharged by Genies' developer ecosystem.

Through Genies' technology, avatars can be brought to life with AI-powered personalities and behaviors, enabling personalized and interactive digital experiences. For developers, the collaboration should open access to licensed, authentic player assets that can be integrated into approved games, apps, and interactive experiences.

"This licensing partnership is opening entirely new opportunities for developers and fans," said Akash Nigam, CEO and Founder at Genies. "Our platform can create an entire roster of avatars and may make those assets available to developers and consumers. The NBPA understands that player IP needs to be protected and extended thoughtfully, and together we intend to build a scalable framework that does exactly that."

Built to celebrate the cultural influence of iconic players while expanding how they connect with fans, the licensing partnership intends to address a critical market opportunity: the growing demand for authentic, licensed IP across interactive platforms. By providing a safe, controlled framework to extend player IP into digital spaces, Genies and the NBPA are seeking to safely position players at the center of the next wave of interactive entertainment.

"Our partnership with Genies seamlessly extends our players' reach into modern digital spaces, offering fans innovative ways to connect with their favorite athletes," said Josh Goodstadt, Chief Commercial Officer at THINK450. "By meeting fans where they already are, we intend to make it easier than ever to engage with our players across the games and apps they use every day."

Genies will make player avatars progressively available through its platform as development advances. In addition to the core licensing partnership, additional player-controlled interactive features may be introduced over time.

For more information, visit genies.com

About Genies

Genies is an AI avatar technology company powering the visual and embodiment layer for LLMs. Through its proprietary technology stack, Genies personifies AI chat, games, and app experiences through its SDKs. Genies has raised $200M from Silverlake, Bond, and Bob Iger.

About the NBPA

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA's mission is to protect and advance the rights of our players. They are the game.

The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including negotiating collective bargaining agreements, filing grievances on behalf of the players, counseling players on benefits, and educating on post-NBA career opportunities. Business opportunities are generated by THINK450, the group licensing and partnership engine of the NBPA. With more than 80 active partnerships, THINK450 is dedicated to uncovering shared interests between players and leading brands to build more engaging collaborations.

The NBPA Foundation is dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members by supporting and assisting people, communities, and organizations worldwide. It spotlights and amplifies the global initiatives of professional basketball players, driving positive change through community building, charitable endeavors, and social entrepreneurship.

For more information, visit www.nbpa.com and follow @thenbpa on socials.

Genies
Mike Paffmann
[email protected] 

NBPA
Kiran Prakash
[email protected]

SOURCE Genies