Brand Building: Why I Decided to Reintroduce Myself on Social Media

With the exception of LinkedIn, I’ve stayed away from social media. So why now? The times are changing and so is my role in the sports world. I joined Twitter last week to reconnect with long time supporters and to give a voice to many of the issues and successes we face today in the business of sports.

When I was a collegiate and professional athlete, social media was not as prevalent as it is today. We engaged with people on different levels through traditional media interviews and autographs – it was all about the game. Today, social media takes you beyond the game and the player stats. It gives your favorite player a relatable, human voice.

 I still remember the moment David Stern said “With the third pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, the Vancouver Grizzlies select…Shareef Abdur-Rahim from the University of California.”  I recall the little moments that felt so big, from the hugs to the handshakes, the high fives and smiles. But times were different then without social media. I was able to soak in the moment without having to read and/or respond to immediate notifications from fans, and even critics, on my phone.   

The same goes for all of the games I played, the shots I made and missed and times I was traded. I was able to keep to myself.  When I was a professional athlete, it was less about communication and more about connection through sport, less about words and more about production.

 Nowadays I’ve realized that social media drives the conversation beyond the game itself. Twitter, for example, provides athletes with the unique opportunity to connect with followers on a deeper level. It’s hard to believe that what an athlete tweets, retweets, favorites, likes and/or replies to can ultimately determine a personal brand, while offering followers an exclusive behind-the-scenes into an athlete’s lifestyle.

 As an athlete from a different time, I had a very different view on social media and obvious hesitations to whether or not I should open the door to my personal life.  However, my mind was made up after I looked at Twitter accounts from people I consider to be top influencers in sports with similar passions for the community. I was extremely impressed by the current and former athletes who have used their unique influencer status to maximize impact and drive change. I can only imagine the benefits that Twitter would have provided in 2001 when I founded the Future Foundation.

 Looking back on my career, I would have welcomed the opportunity to build and share my personal brand on and off the court. Now that I’m joining the social media trend so “late in the game,” I’m taking the opportunity to reintroduce myself to those who have supported me from day one, along with younger generations who are interested in learning more about my journey. My goal is to show supporters what I’ve done with the faith they instilled in me, from my foundation to MBA pursuit and entrepreneurial endeavors.

 I hope that you can join me in this next chapter as I share my professional voice on LinkedIn Pulse Posts, while also keeping it real on Twitter (@ShareefAbdur_R). The times are changing, and so am I.