• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, May 6, 2020

In what it’s calling an industry first, Barbarian, the digital creative agency backed by Cheil Worldwide, has struck a deal with former NBA player and current ESPN announcer Jay Williams to be the agency’s chief entertainment and lifestyle advisor.  

Williams will work with Barbarian’s CEO Steven Moy and his leadership team to identify new areas of investment in order to drive growth. He is already working with the agency on projects for a Fortune 100 CPG company and a well-known DTC lifestyle brand.

Details are expected to be announced shortly.

“Jay brings his deep knowledge of the media landscape and personal experience on culture and diversity,” said Moy. “With Barbarian’s creative and technical expertise and Jay’s experience, Barbarian can now double down on building our footprint in the lifestyle industry,” he added.

Williams played college basketball at Duke when it won the NCAA Championship in 2001. He was drafted second overall in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. His playing career was cut short by a motorcycle accident in 2003.

He wrote The New York Times best seller, “Life Is Not An Accident: A Memoir Of Reinvention,” that recounts his rise to NBA stardom,  the accident that ended his career and how he rebounded after experiencing severe depression.