Former NBA player
John Amaechi has become the first openly gay male
athlete to sign an endorsement deal with a mainstream
company.
HeadBlade Inc.,
creator of a popular head-shaving razor, announced Monday
it had signed Amaechi to a multiyear deal. Financial terms
were undisclosed.
''I think it's
fantastic that HeadBlade has approached me to endorse the
brand,'' Amaechi said in a statement.
Amaechi became
the first NBA player to acknowledge his homosexuality with
the release of his memoir, Man in the Middle,
in February. The book is currently on The New York
Times Best Seller List.
Concern about
endorsement deals is one reason some male athletes stay in
the closet during their careers.
''John Amaechi is
the newest face of the brand because he embodies many
of the qualities representative of a HeadBlader,'' HeadBlade
chief executive Todd Greene said. ''He is a man
comfortable in his own skin, and he's not afraid to go
against the grain.''
Amaechi grew up
in England and played over five seasons for Cleveland,
Orlando, and Utah. He retired in 2004. (AP)
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