Kawhi recordsdata lawsuit in opposition to Nike over ‘Klaw’ brand
Tim BontempsESPN
Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard filed a lawsuit in opposition to Nike on Monday in america District Courtroom of the Southern District of California in an try to reclaim management over a brand Leonard says he created.
“In 2011, simply after being drafted to the Nationwide Basketball Affiliation, Kawhi Leonard authored a singular brand that included parts that had been significant and distinctive to him,” the lawsuit reads. “Leonard traced his notably massive hand, and, contained in the hand, drew stylized variations of his initials ‘KL’ and the quantity that he had worn for a lot of his profession, ‘2.’ The drawing Leonard authored was an extension and continuation of drawings he had been creating since early in his school profession.
“A number of years later, as a part of an endorsement take care of Nike, Leonard allowed Nike to make use of on sure merchandise the brand he created whereas Leonard continued to make use of the brand on non-Nike items. Unbeknownst to Leonard and with out his consent, Nike filed an software for copyright registration of his brand and falsely represented within the software that Nike had authored the brand.”
2 Associated
A Nike spokesperson didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The lawsuit goes on to say that Leonard intends to make use of the “Klaw” brand in varied capacities — together with clothes traces, footwear and in reference to sports activities camps and charity capabilities — however that Nike has objected to him doing so. Leonard, subsequently, needs to regain management of the brand, which he created whereas he was a part of Jordan Model’s secure of athletes.
Since then, although, Leonard has subsequently develop into a shoe free agent, earlier than finally signing a take care of New Steadiness earlier this season. The Boston-based firm has created a number of campaigns involving Leonard this season — one being “Enjoyable Man,” and one other, extra just lately, being “King of the North,” taking part in off the just lately concluded HBO collection “Recreation of Thrones.”
The nine-page lawsuit would, in principle, enable for a brand new marketing campaign with New Steadiness someday sooner or later — or, on the very least, would give Leonard (ought to he win) management again of a brand he says ought to be his.
The lawsuit goes on to clarify, intimately, how Leonard got here up with the thought for the brand, which was developed in the beginning of his rookie season throughout his lockout-shortened 2011-12 marketing campaign with the San Antonio Spurs.
“Leonard is understood for his extraordinarily massive palms,” the lawsuit reads. “All through his profession, spectators have seen Leonard’s massive palms and they’re typically described as contributing to his success as a participant.
“Since at the very least his school years, Leonard contemplated and conceived of concepts for a private brand which might be distinctive to him and replicate one thing significant regarding his personal picture. In late December 2011 or January 2012, Leonard refined a brand he had been creating for a number of years that encompassed his massive and highly effective palms, his initials and his jersey quantity.
“Leonard shared his unique work of authorship with household and buddies, solicited the recommendation and experience of a inventive designer, obtained feedback and ideas, and made modifications to his design.”
Later within the lawsuit, it says Leonard and Nike have gone back-and-forth a number of occasions over the previous a number of months over the usage of the brand, with the final correspondence being in March when Nike instructed him, “it owns all mental property rights within the Leonard Brand and demanding that Leonard instantly stop and desist from what Nike claimed was the unauthorized use of the Leonard Brand.”
Lastly, the lawsuit says the purpose of the plaintiff is for Leonard to be declared the only real writer of the brand; that Leonard’s use of his brand would not intervene with Nike’s rights, together with “with out limitation any rights Nike might declare to own with respect to the Leonard Brand;” and that the defendant dedicated fraud on the Copyright Workplace in registering the Leonard Brand, together with “any such different and additional reduction as this Courtroom deems simply and correct.”
Leonard and the Raptors flew to California on Monday afternoon forward of observe Tuesday and Recreation three of the NBA Finals at Oracle Enviornment in opposition to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday evening.
ESPN’s Nick DePaula contributed to this report.