LaMelo Ball did not simply lend his name to a watch. He created a watch brand with Memorigin and called it Melofaith, after the faith he has often described as his source of strength. Faith and confidence, in his view, are what carry an athlete through every game. The pandemic kept both sides apart, so the watch took shape over video calls, with LaMelo giving notes from design to production. On the eve of his birthday the team wished him well on one of those calls; later he sent Memorigin founder William Shum a signed jersey to mark the partnership.

Stephon Marbury's career crossed two worlds: twice an NBA All-Star in the United States, then three CBA championships in China. When he retired in 2018, he marked twenty-two years in the game by designing a watch, and there was only one theme. Basketball, he says, is the pursuit of his life. Basketball lines trace the edge of the dial, and a basketball in relief rides the day and night indicator. His 3, worn on his jersey and inked as a tattoo, stands among the hours, and a red 22 on the bezel counts his years. He wanted it to carry his love of the game, like a tourbillon that never rests.