Column: At last, the NBA has an official skin care partner

The 80th NBA season kicks off next week, and for the first time in more than 20 years there will be no king.

LeBron James, the league’s oldest player, will be out until at least mid-November with sciatica on his right side. For the Lakers, the news is terrible. Since King James brought his talents to Los Angeles in 2018, the team has won 60% of the games he plays and only 42% of the ones he doesn’t. As for what the superstar’s absence means for a league starting without him for the first time since 2002 — it’s another reminder that no matter how great the superstar, Father Time is undefeated.

One day the 40-year-old James will retire, and the league will have a new face.

And apparently great-looking skin as well.

That’s because CeraVe, one of the top skin care brands in the world, and the NBA announced a multiyear partnership this month. So this season if you think star players are shining brighter than ever before, that’s probably why.

In addition to using players and social media influencers to promote healthy skin care practices on social media and at league events, CeraVe products will be in locker rooms. This partnership doesn’t help James and company shake off criticism that the league has gotten soft over the years, but it does guarantee no player has to play with ashy elbows ever again.

More importantly for the longevity of the league, it expands the NBA’s global appeal via lifestyle branding.

In 2023, men spent close to $14 billion on skin care products globally. By 2030, that number is expected to almost double. Since men are expected to be moisturizing more anyway, the NBA — the league with the skimpiest uniforms of any major sports league in America — should be in the skin game.

“At CeraVe, we are absolutely thrilled to join forces with the NBA because, like them, we believe in championing performance and well-being,” Esther Garcia, CeraVe’s U.S. general manager, said in a news release, adding that the partnership “is an exciting opportunity to reach a truly unparalleled audience — one that’s passionate, engaged, incredibly diverse, and one that truly values performance, especially when it comes to their skin barrier, head to toe.”

The skin is the largest of our body’s organs, so wanting to take care of it should come naturally — but it apparently doesn’t, especially for men. Using NBA players is not a bad way to draw attention to some healthier habits. In fact former Laker Anthony Davis has been a spokesperson for the company for years, and former Laker Danny Green is starring in social media posts promoting the partnership.

If it sounds like a reach, just remember Hanes used a catchy jingle and Michael Jordan’s popularity to convince America’s men to buy the brand’s underwear. So yeah, I’d say it’s a smart bet for CeraVe to believe an entire league of well-groomed men could give the company a leg up on its skin care competition.

It’s a very global market: South Asia represents 52% of the sector, and the NBA has spent more than 30 years growing the sport in that part of the world. So even if most gym rats in America don’t care if their ankles look like baked clay, there are plenty of other markets to make this partnership worthwhile.

However, my favorite part of this story has something to do with what Garcia said about the power of diversity.

CeraVe began back in 2005, the same year James made his first All-Star appearance, and was acquired by L’Oreal in 2017. However while James’ popularity predates the NBA, the skin care company didn’t get significant traction until Hyram Yarbro, a budding makeup artist, began sharing product reviews on TikTok during the pandemic.

His posts weren’t just fun, they were informative, explaining why the products’ ingredients were effective in treating dry or acne-prone skin. So while Facebook and TV commercials were concentrated on ads for wrinkles and removing dark spots, his social media posts were talking Gen Z’s language when it came to skin care.

Today CeraVe is worth more than $1 billion, and we won’t have to see knees that look like tree bark in large part because Yarbro — a gay man who grew up as a Mormon cattle rancher in Arizona — said the company’s products were great. Talk about the benefits of diversity, equity and inclusion.

YouTube: @LZGrandersonShow