by Jeroslyn JoVonn
February 15, 2024
Twitch streamer Kai Cenat is taking his brand to new heights after announcing his partnership with Nike.
The 22-year-old YouTuber confirmed the news in a Twitch livestream on Thursday, Feb. 8. Cenat’s venture with the mega sports retailer makes him the first streamer to partner with Nike. “I would like to announce that we are officially a part of the Nike family. This has been a long time waiting.”
“There has been nothing more that I ever wanted,” he added. “When I first got the call to be part of the Nike family, I literally couldn’t believe it.”
He held up a pair of Nike sneakers he planned to wear to the gym. Another video clip shows the Harlem native calling his mom to share the big news. He starts by asking her what her favorite sports brand is, which happens to be Nike.
The announcement comes ahead of NBA All-Star weekend, where Cenat will be playing in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game for Team Shannon on Feb. 16. With him officially joining the Nike family, Cenat might be sporting the Nike brand for the high-profile game. He recently teased that he has “something big” planned with Nike for one of his upcoming IRL (In Real Life) streams.
Despite the criticism he receives, Cenat’s streaming career is nothing to scoff at. He’s listed as the most-watched Twitch streamer with over seven million followers and a total of 115 million hours of watch time, Game Rant reports. He was named “Streamer of the Year” at the 12th Streamy Awards and the 2023 Streamer Awards.
He started streaming on Twitch in 2021, sharing his online gaming and reaction content. His following grew quickly and eventually led to him inviting celebrity guests to appear on his channel, including Nicki Minaj, Drake, 21 Savage, Offset, Lil Baby, and more. Cenat has credited his Aunt Cathy, a woman he met as part of a summer camp experience in Boston, for helping him start streaming by purchasing his equipment when his mother couldn’t afford it.
“Literally every time I came here, it was amazing,” Cenat said in a YouTube video. “Also, you’re like a second mother to me. You literally got me everything I wanted that my mom sometimes couldn’t afford, from the [Nintendo] DS to the games to me being in Gamestop. It meant a lot.”
