An MBA For The NBA

Who is the newest star student at Harvard Business School?

Try NBA star Kyrie Irving.

Sports Illustrated reports that the Celtics guard is taking part in Harvard Business School’s “Crossover Into Business” program.

A Mentorship Program Catered To Professional Athletes

The semester-long program is catered to professional athletes seeking to develop their business skills by working with MBA student mentors.

“These mentors help the athletes develop their business acumen and empower them to make better business decisions, all in a way that fits the athletes’ busy lives, is tailored to their interests, and leverages the acclaimed Harvard Business School case method,” according to Harvard’s website.

While the program is catered to be flexible towards athletes’ schedules, participants are expected to analyze a case study with their mentors every two to three weeks.

This year, participating athletes include former NFL tight end Martellus Bennett; NBA players Paul Millsap, Zaza Pachulia and Spencer Dinwiddie; and athletes from the WNBA, Major League Soccer, UFC and the American Ballet Theater, according to Sports Illustrated.

Led By Harvard’s Anita Elberse

The program is taught by Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse, who is no amateur when it comes to working with big name celebrities.

Elbrese also heads a course called “The Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports,” which focuses on the “unique challenges of developing, managing, and marketing a successful entertainment offering.” The course’s curriculum aims to teach effective talent management and entertainment business strategies.

“The target audience is mid- to-senior level executives who work in the media or entertainment space – or hoping to make a transition into that space,” Elberse says. “Or, they could come from industries affiliated with or helping this industry – like advertising. It is also people that work directly with the talent and sometimes the talent themselves.”

On Monday, Elberse kicked off the “Crossover Into Business” program.

“So fun to welcome these amazing athletes to the Harvard family yesterday!” Elberse wrote on Instagram. “They crushed it in their case discussions during the #CrossoverIntoBusiness kick-off. And kept things 100% serious throughout the day, as you can see.”

Sources: Sports Illustrated, Harvard Business School, Poets & Quants, Harvard Business School