Shane Smith Has Questions How Maverick Carter Rewrote the Rules of Sports Media ft Maverick Carter | Shane Smith Has Questions
Nov 6, 2025
Maverick Carter, CEO of SpringHill Company and longtime partner of LeBron James, shares his fascinating journey from Akron’s underground club scene to redefining sports media. He recounts how sweeping floors taught him valuable lessons in capitalism. Maverick reveals why LeBron turned down a $10 million check from Reebok, choosing Nike instead, and discusses the evolution of their business empire. The conversation dives into the psychology of money, the meaning of earning one's name, and the future of media in a changing landscape.
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After‑Hours School Of Hustle
- Maverick grew up in Akron where his grandmother ran an after-hours basement club that taught him capitalism by sweeping floors and collecting cash.
- He learned hustling, bookkeeping, and valuabilizing found money which shaped his business instincts early on.
Weigh Equity Versus Immediate Payout
- Recognize equity brings complex choices: sell to realize gains or hold to retain control and future upside.
- Consider taxes, control loss, and strategic timing before converting equity to cash.
Scale By Creating Businesses
- Scale by building businesses, not by adding more athlete clients with similar workload and diminishing returns.
- Partner on companies with athletes to capture larger, repeatable value instead of one‑off management fees.