Hideki Matsuyama just won over $2 million in prize money, and could have hundreds of millions more coming in endorsements.

Matsuyama donned the green jacket after his victory at the Masters on Sunday, becoming the first Japanese man to win a golf major.

The win solidifies his rockstar status in Japan, and comes at an opportune time for the country’s golf industry: Interest in the sport surged during the pandemic, particularly among young people. 

Estimates of how much the victory will be worth for Matsuyama’s brand reach as high as $1 billion in endorsement money.

Matsuyama was already bringing in $8 million to $10 million in endorsements from his work with Lexus, golf-focused sports equipment brand Srixon, and financial holding company Nomura Securities, among others.

The PGA Tour had designs on growing its brand in Asia prior to the pandemic, with Matsuyama a key part of that push. 

The win is well-timed in another way. Tokyo will host the summer Olympics in just a few months, and Matsuyama could carry the Olympic flag in the green jacket.

Matsuyama joins Hisako Higuchi, who won the 1977 LPGA Championship, and Hinako Shibuno, winner of the 2019 Women’s British Open, as PGA champions from Japan.

A group led by Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore signed a letter of intent to buy the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx for around $1.5 billion.

Lore, who recently stepped down from his post as Walmart’s e-commerce chief, and A-Rod had been on the hunt for a sports team.

The duo tried to buy the New York Mets last fall, losing out to hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen. Lore is a special advisor to A-Rod’s Slam Corp. SPAC, which raised $500 million in February.

Former T-Wolves star Kevin Garnett was interested in buying the team, and had put together an ownership group. However, that bid did not make it far, and team owner Glen Taylor said Garnett never expressed his interest in owning the team to him. Taylor, who bought the team for $88 million in 1994, was openly seeking a buyer since last July.

The Wolves have spent nearly two decades as an NBA cellar dweller, making the playoffs only once since 2004. Forbes estimated the team’s value at $1.4 billion in February — 28th out of 30 NBA teams. 

The Lynx have been much better, winning the championship three times since 2011.

Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints has earned $18.7 million from his NFL contracts. How much has he spent so far? Nothing. 

The running back said that he only spends money from his endorsement deals and hasn’t touched anything from his NFL contracts, during an interview on Kneading Dough, a show produced by Uninterrupted. 

“I’m like, ‘OK, this is more than I’ve ever had. My mom ain’t never had this much,’” Kamara said. “It would be a shame if I got this and lost it.” 

Kamara was influenced by growing up with a single mom, two siblings, and little cash to spare. “I’m gonna keep doing the same thing I’ve been doing — [buying] what I need, and that’s it. I’m not about to go over the top, I’m not gonna live beyond my means,” he said.

Though Kamara gets his spending cash from his endorsement deals, he’s selective with them: “All the brands that I work with I can call directly and talk to a CEO or somebody high up and have a regular conversation with them.”

The NFL star said that material possessions were never a real source of happiness for him, especially compared to his philanthropic work in New Orleans.

“A lot of [charitable] things that I do, no one really knows that I’m behind it — besides the couple of people that need to know. It’s what makes me happy, knowing that I was able to help somebody.”

Kamara’s savings account is about to get a lot larger. In September, the Saints inked him to a 5-year, $75 million deal.

What connects the WNBA, NBA All-Star Weekend, the historic 1992 Olympic Dream Team, and the Golden State Warriors recent three-championship run?

Rick Welts, an executive with a nearly unrivaled impact, who announced on Friday that he would retire at the end of the season. 

Warriors President since 2011, Welts previously worked for the Seattle Supersonics (winning a championship in 1979), Phoenix Suns, and the NBA league office.

His impact on the NBA and its global brand is nearly unrivaled.

• Welts spearheaded the transformation of the All-Star Game into a weekend featuring the Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Contest.
• He pushed the NBA to allow its best players into the Olympics, elevating the sport’s global presence with the storied 1992 Dream Team.
• Welts worked with Val Ackerman to launch the WNBA in 1997.

“Simply put, Rick Welts played a transformational role in creating the modern NBA during his more than 40 years as a pioneering league and team executive,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

Welts, who was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2018, also became the first openly gay NBA executive in 2011.

The 68-year-old told The Undefeated that he plans to travel in Europe, once that is possible, and settle into a more relaxing lifestyle. “This is my 46th NBA season,” he said. “To be good at this, you have to work hard always. I’m ready not to do that.”