Kia, South Korea’s second-largest automobile manufacturer, has announced the renewal of its multiyear partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the NBA G League, extending one of the most enduring collaborations in professional basketball.
The extension reinforces Kia’s long-standing role as the official automotive partner of both the NBA and WNBA while broadening its involvement across the leagues’ most prominent properties. It reflects the automaker’s continued investment in basketball’s global ecosystem, from elite competition to grassroots fan engagement.
As part of the renewed deal, Kia will remain the presenting sponsor of more than 35 NBA performance awards, including monthly and end-of-season honors such as the Kia NBA Hustle Award. The brand will continue as the title partner of the NBA Skills Challenge during All-Star Weekend and as an associate partner of both the NBA Draft and the NBA 2K Summer League. Kia’s visibility will also extend through extensive pole-pad branding during nationally televised NBA regular-season games and throughout the first three rounds of the NBA Playoffs.
The partnership expands notably within the WNBA, where Kia will continue as the presenting partner for over 15 performance awards during the season. It will also serve as associate partner of the WNBA Draft and WNBA Live, the league’s annual fan festival held during All-Star Weekend, and as title partner of the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge. To deepen fan participation, Kia will activate digital engagement initiatives, such as its “Who Ya Got” platform, which enables fans to make predictions and participate in sweepstakes throughout the season.
In the NBA G League, Kia will retain its role as title sponsor for monthly and end-of-season performance awards, maintaining its strong presence across the league’s developmental tier.
Speaking on the occasion, SeungKyu (Sean) Yoon, President and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America, said, “Basketball inspires passion, connection, and possibility, values that energize all of us at Kia. As partners and true fans of the game, we’re honored to continue our journey with the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League. Together, we’ll keep celebrating the moments, the energy, and the communities that make basketball so powerful.”
Lauren Sullivan, Senior Vice President, Head of Partner Management, NBA, added, “Kia’s partnership reflects a shared commitment to celebrating the NBA and strengthening fan engagement. We look forward to continuing our work with Kia as we create deeper connections with fans and drive the game forward in new and exciting ways.”
WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison continued, “Kia has been an incredible partner in helping elevate the WNBA’s platform and celebrating the excellence of this league. From performance awards to immersive All-Star activations, Kia’s continued investment underscores the momentum of our league and the value of women’s basketball. We are thrilled to continue working together to bring fans closer to the game.”
The renewed agreement builds on more than a decade of collaboration between Kia and the NBA family. It signals the automaker’s broader strategy to integrate brand presence with immersive experiences and digital storytelling across diverse audiences.
Through activations like “Who Ya Got” and “Inside a Kia”, a branded content series featuring NBA and WNBA players, the partnership continues to evolve from traditional sponsorship toward a multi-platform engagement model connecting sport, culture, and technology.
Beyond basketball, Kia maintains a strong global sports footprint. The automaker is an active partner of major sporting properties, including the FIFA World Cup, the Australian Open, and Surrey County Cricket Club, and the naming rights for the Orlando Magic’s home stadium.
The NBA and WNBA’s commercial ecosystem continues to feature global partners such as Xfinity, AWS, Booking.com, DoorDash, Nike, and Amazon, underscoring basketball’s expanding appeal as a platform for global brands seeking to engage diverse and digitally connected audiences.
