Naomi Osaka and LeBron James are launching a new media company

June 21 (Reuters) – Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka is launching a new media company in partnership with four-time NBA champion LeBron James aimed at telling stories that cross cultural barriers, the former world number one said on Tuesday. .

Hana Kuma, which translates to “flower bear,” will produce “culture-specific yet universal stories for all audiences” and already has several projects lined up, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“What excites me is being able to inspire people and tell new stories, especially the ones I wish I had seen when I was a kid. I always wanted to see someone like me,” said said four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka. who has a Haitian father and a Japanese mother, told the New York Times.

James and Maverick Carter’s The SpringHill Company will serve as Hana Kuma’s financing, operating and production partner, the newspaper said.

The production company is the latest project from Osaka, 24, and her longtime agent Stuart Duguid.

The duo also have a sports agency named Evolve, which signed Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios as the first member of their roster on Monday. Read more

Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Ken Ferris

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