# Drew Hanlen x Nouns x Base – A Slam Dunk ⌐◨-◨


### Connecting Professional Sports and Onchain Innovation for Public Good

# TL;DR –

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This proposal requests $380,000 to fund a year-long program featuring:

- Nounish workshops: Focused on entrepreneurship, wellness, and blockchain education.  
- Youth initiatives: Designed to empower underserved and gifted youth.
  Intimate IRL events: Engaging top NBA players, Drew’s network, and the community.  
- 10-Episode Docuseries: Showcasing Drew’s Nounish programs, fundraising for youth programs through onchain sales via Coinbase Wallet. 

This collaboration introduces Nouns’ mission to athletes, educators, and youth organizations, embedding Nounish culture into new communities and industries.

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# PROPOSAL SUMMARY –

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Drew Hanlen is the #1 NBA skills coach globally, having secured over $4 billion in player contracts for NBA MVP Joel Embiid and All-Stars Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine, and Tyrese Haliburton.

He committed to the Nounish mission with his **[recent acquisition of Noun 1240](https://x.com/drewhanlen/status/1890550181592199496?s=42)** — a symbol that will become an integral part of his personal brand, merchandise, and real-world activations.

Drew’s lifelong dedication to giving back is reflected in his community-driven initiatives across Haiti, Africa, and underserved U.S. communities. His passion for education and youth empowerment aligns perfectly with the Nounish mission.

![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0585/2590/9078/files/drew_2_photo_d3976e6b-b4e1-4da4-aeb7-76eee7e00384.png?v=1738348834)

# What This Unlocks for Nouns –

- Direct access to elite NBA players, teams, and global brands.  
- Public goods partnerships aligned with philanthropic causes.  
- Workshops and digital programs to educate, empower, and inspire.  
- Co-branded merchandise, media, and sponsorship opportunities. 

# Priority Initiatives for 2025 –

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![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0585/2590/9078/files/drew_noun_1240_scenes_4c548639-d228-403b-8a87-3ae17c70528d.png?v=1740016889)

### 10-Episode Nounish Docuseries – “NOBS – Nurturing Onchain Brilliance & Success”

A Nounish production, with the proceeds of the programs going towards underserved youth and creative initiatives. This program will live on Drew's 530k-subscriber Pure Sweat **[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/puresweat)** channel.

### Content Structure –

- Document Drew’s Nounish youth programs – from workshops to IRL activations.  
- Showcase Nouns & Web3 onboarding industry leaders and the next generation of athletes & artists.  
- Feature top NBA players, coaches, and community 
  leaders supporting the initiative.  
- Program recaps available on Coinbase Wallet, allowing anyone to mint and support the cause.  
- Fund youth programs, supplies, production, events, and artists within the Nouns community. 

This series will bring visibility to Nouns, engage new audiences, and provide a long-term fundraising model for youth and creative programs.

Events will feature Nounish branding, messaging, and onboarding, and all content will be amplified via Drew’s 1.8MM+ social followers and participating partners’ platforms.

### Key Themes –

- Entrepreneurship and financial literacy.                 
- Wellness and mental health education.                 
- Onchain innovation and Web3 opportunities. 

**Home Court –** A series of Nounish workshops in Los Angeles focusing on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and wellness education.

**Away Days –** Additional events in key cities like Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and one international market, connecting underserved and gifted youth to hands-on learning opportunities.

# Giving Back – Where Proceeds Go –

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![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0585/2590/9078/files/nobs_glasses_24b64d7d-0d05-4fb2-bf58-350eb3c81d14.gif?v=1740017026)

- **Underserved youth programs** – Scholarships, mentorship, and education.   
- **Art & creative funding** – Supporting Nounish artists, illustrators, animators & designers.   
- **Event production** – Covering logistics to keep these programs free for kids.   
- **Community-building initiatives** – Expanding Nouns' role in sports philanthropy.  
- Noun acquisition and delegation. 

# Athletes, Brands & Nouns as a Service –

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![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0585/2590/9078/files/basketball_roll_646bcde7-0019-44e0-8dce-df3e0ac8078b.gif?v=1740017031)

Partnering with DAO ecosystem members (developers, marketers, artists) to –

- Empower athletes & brands to build onchain tools.   
- Enable Nouns-aligned sponsorships & IP development.   
- Integrate Web3 seamlessly into professional sports & culture. 

![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0585/2590/9078/files/drew_boston_event.gif?v=1739384720)

## Boston Event Recap (2/11/2025)

**Proof of concept by Cares and Drew Hanlen –** The TD Garden event, self-funded by Cares and Drew Hanlen, featured NBA MVP Jayson Tatum and proved the model works. 300+ attendees, major NBA interest, and 9MM+ media impressions.

![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0585/2590/9078/files/coinbase_chase_center.jpg?v=1739214431)

# Building with Base and Coinbase –

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We believe in the Base ecosystem as a foundation for scalable, impactful onchain initiatives, and we are committed to building a better world onchain with Base in mind.

Together, we are creating real pathways for athletes, artists, and youth programs to engage onchain meaningfully.

- Amplifying Nounish initiatives through social & press support   
- Providing onchain seamless onboarding & engagement  
- Supporting  program development for sports, education & youth empowerment  
- Branded activations, merchandise & event integration 

This support system ensures long-term visibility, real-world adoption, and cultural relevance, embedding Nouns, Base into sports, education, and global youth initiatives.

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# Why This Matters –

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![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0585/2590/9078/files/heart_header_cares.gif?v=1740017087)

This initiative presents a rare opportunity to merge professional sports, education, and philanthropy with onchain innovation. By funding this proposal, Nouns will:

- Expand Nouns’ reach into professional sports, introducing Web3 to high-value audiences.  
- Empower underserved communities with education, wellness, and entrepreneurial resources.  
- Leverage top-tier media and brand amplification, increasing visibility for the Nounish ecosystem.  
- Foster long-term partnerships with athletes, teams, and brands aligned with public goods.  
- Create a sustainable model for onchain integration in mainstream culture. 

# Key Deliverables

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![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0585/2590/9078/files/drew_nouns.jpg?v=1738720106)

# Running Event Schedule (10 Total between 2025-2026)

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### Nouns Home Court –

- Los Angeles, CA (6x events) 

### Nouns Away Days –

- San Francisco, CA – 1st Quarter (1x event)    
- Philadelphia, PA – 2nd Quarter (1x event)    
- Boston, MA – 3rd Quarter (1x event)    
- International Event (TBC) – 4th Quarter (1x event) 

# Funding Request: $380,000 USDC

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- Venue rentals, event space, production expenses (incl. insurance, training staff, equipment needs / rentals, etc.) – $250k (10 events, $25k per event)    
- Marketing, asset creation, and production for event documentation, media coverage, and activations – $53k    
- Merchandise production and distribution (co-branded Nouns x DH) – $40k    
- Travel and accommodations for key participants and organizers – $37k 

### Strategic Noun Onboarding – A Long-Term Investment

Cares is waiving any monetary fee for program management in exchange for five Treasury Nouns – Requesting Nouns 826, 519, 758, 915, 573. This preserves treasury liquidity while unlocking high-value opportunities for collaboration, governance participation, and visibility.

Cares will establish a delegate-governance participation program within Nouns by strategically onboarding NBA MVPs, teams, and key partners who actively shape sports, philanthropy, and entertainment. By integrating Nouns into leagues, brand strategies, and philanthropic programs, we create a direct pipeline for real-world decision-makers to participate in governance, leveraging onchain infrastructure to drive scalable, high-impact initiatives.

# Why Cares?

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**[Cares](https://cares.tv)** is a decentralized, Nounish collective that helps bridge the gap between creativity, commerce, and technology while supporting public goods. It was founded by the team behind Problem, an integrated marketing and strategy firm that has worked with best-in-class global brands and start-ups throughout its 15-year history.

In its first year, the Cares team has dedicated itself to amplifying Nouns’ mission with its own brand of Nounish creativity and energy.

From supporting last year's ETH Denver activations and merchandise programs with The Hundreds, to bringing Nouns to EDCON 2024 Tokyo **[(Prop 559)](https://www.nouns.camp/proposals/559)** with an unforgettable presence on the Shibuya Scramble billboards and building the Cares Club phygital retail experience for the DAO — we’ve pushed boundaries, heightened Nouns’ visibility, and onboarded countless builders and non-crypto natives to Nouns.

![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0585/2590/9078/files/cares_club_2024.gif?v=1739217124)

We launched **[Base Runner](https://cares.tv/pages/runner)**, a Nouns-themed game (demoed live at EDCON), got **[Noggles on Vitalik](https://x.com/ccarella/status/1818071366052262057)**, created a Nounish CC0 art collection with Base, and hosted dynamic events, workshops, and onboarding sessions in California, New York, and Tokyo.

Now, we’re gearing up to welcome global partners such as the NBA into the Nounish ecosystem.

# CONCLUSION

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By partnering with Drew Hanlen, Nouns can seamlessly integrate into professional sports, align with a proven leader who embodies Nounish values, and create meaningful impact across communities and industries.

This collaboration will expand the Nounish movement by introducing Web3 to new audiences, empowering underserved communities, and fostering long-term partnerships that bridge onchain innovation with real-world impact.

Outcome: CANCELLED