The Sports Emmy®Award winning series THE SHOP: UNINTERRUPTED returns with a new episode on Friday, SEPT. 24 (9:00-9:30 p.m. EST) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
Joining Maverick Carter are four-time Grand Slam tennis singles champion Naomi Osaka, actor, comedian and writer Wanda Sykes, NBA All-Star Kevin Love; multi-platinum hip-hop artist Jadakiss and the SpringHill Company’s chief marketing officer, Paul Rivera.
Here’s a preview of another exciting, star-studded episode featuring game changers in various genres just shooting the breeze.
Naomi Osaka has had an eventful couple of months, losing early in the Olympics, struggling with her mental health, withdrawing from the French Open and breaking down on the podium after being asked about her ordeal in a press conference.
Naomi Osaka bursts into tears and exits podium while addressing how she has felt since withdrawing from French Open. pic.twitter.com/xBn8XRF8FB
— The Shadow League (@ShadowLeague) August 16, 2021
She’s continued to live positively, give back to the community and expose her brand publicly when the situation suits her.
Tennis superstar @naomiosaka and @DrinkBODYARMOR are refurbishing tennis courts on the talent-laden streets of Jamaica, Queens as the 2020 @usopen approaches. https://t.co/AvloU4Ffrs
— The Shadow League (@ShadowLeague) August 13, 2020
Despite her emotional struggles, Osaka was seen at the Met Gala with her boyfriend, rapper Cordae, and she’s still appearing in commercials and grabbing a bag here and there. From her masks bearing the names of Black people slain by cops to her financial ascension, Osaka is now in some lofty company and her appearance on The Shop is further proof.
The Osaka Brand
The Osaka brand is something special. She can do no wrong in 2021.
The tennis star has made $60 million in 12 months — $55 million from endorsements — demolishing the earnings record for female athletes she set just last year with $37 million. That total places Osaka at No. 12 on the Forbes list of the world’s 50 highest-paid athletes, tied with Tiger Woods and well ahead of men’s tennis stars like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in a significant jump from last year’s No. 29 ranking.
She will be the guest that most people tune in to see. It will be great to see her in a relaxed forum with no expectations or pressures of competition or media.
Past Guests
Past shows similarly offered conversation and debate between a unique ensemble of some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment. You have to really be impactful in your creative or business space to get a call to sit in one of “the chairs.”
Guests have included Tom Brady, Jay-Z, Drake, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Lena Waithe, Diddy, Jimmy Kimmel, Patrick Mahomes, Lil Nas X, Will Smith, Megan Rapinoe, Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Jemele Hill, Rob Gronkowski, Stacey Abrams and former President Barack Obama.
