Cleveland Cavaliers star Darius Garland is joining forces with Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith and Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard to launch Off Court, a new social media platform designed by and for athletes. The iOS app officially launches on October 17 and promises to change how players connect with fans, control their content, and monetize their digital presence.
Unlike existing social networks such as Instagram or TikTok, Off Court is owned entirely by the athletes themselves. That means players have full control over algorithms, monetization, and the way their content is used. The goal is to create a space where players can share authentic, behind-the-scenes stories and connect directly with fans, free from the limitations of traditional platforms.
“The idea behind Off Court strongly aligns with the goal of creating a fan-athlete space that isn’t overwhelmed by the noise and negativity typical of dominant social media,” Off Court CEO Mac Hunt and co-founder Kevin Fee shared with Newsweek. “The structure and the intentional design philosophy provide a foundation for a healthier, more meaningful connection. We’re building community tools that center [on] real fans and real players.”
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Garland, a former Vanderbilt standout who has become one of the faces of the NBA‘s Cavaliers, sees Off Court as a major step forward for athletes in the digital age.
“Off Court isn’t about highlights or stats; it’s about showing who we are as people,” Garland said in an interview with Newsweek. “Fans get to see the day-to-day. The training, the music, the fits, the conversations, the stuff that doesn’t always make it to ESPN or Instagram. That’s what makes the connection real. We built this to bring fans closer to who we really are, not just what we do on the court.
“Athletes often feel distant on other apps. Off Court gives players a space to post authentically, whether it’s workouts, travel, family, or fashion, in their own words and style. That transparency builds a stronger, more personal bond between players and fans. Instead of relying on interviews or press clips, fans get direct windows into players’ actual lives.”
The platform offers players the ability to drop merchandise, run subscriptions, post exclusive videos and podcasts, and share day-in-the-life vlogs. It provides fans with unprecedented access to athletes’ daily lives, while also creating a more personal and profitable environment for players.
The idea for Off Court started with co-founder and CEO Mac Hunt, a former Vanderbilt basketball player and musician who roomed with Nesmith in college. Hunt developed a following on TikTok and saw firsthand how quickly creators could grow when platforms supported them. However, he noticed that athletes, who drive much of online culture, had no ownership or real way to benefit from their massive reach.
“We don’t want content on Off Court to feel forced or formulaic,” Hunt and Fee shared. “That’s exactly what makes other platforms exhausting. The idea is for athletes to share naturally and authentically, in ways that reflect their real lives, not a corporate calendar.
“That said, we’re working with players to help them find a rhythm that keeps fans consistently engaged. Whether that’s a few posts a week, weekly vlogs, or behind-the-scenes drops tied to the season. The goal is quality and connection over quantity.
“Ultimately, we want Off Court to be the first app fans open, not because they’re told to, but because it’s where the real, unfiltered version of their favorite players lives.”
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In September 2023, Hunt shared his concept for Off Court with Nesmith, his former roommate and teammate at Vanderbilt, and Fee, then brought Garland and Pritchard on board. Together, they envisioned a basketball-centered social hub that allowed athletes to take back control of their content and their brand value.
Basketball players shape global culture, but existing social platforms were never designed with them in mind. Algorithms often bury their posts, monetization heavily favors the platform, and athletes rarely have access to their own engagement data.
Meanwhile, younger audiences increasingly follow players rather than teams. For Gen Z and Gen Alpha, authentic, short-form, behind-the-scenes content is more compelling than highlight reels or full-game broadcasts.
“[It’s] harder than it should be,” Garland admitted to Newsweek. “Most platforms are built for maximum scale, not for the nuance of a sport-specific community. The feed cadence, the comment culture, and what gets amplified often work against authentic player-fan dialogue. Off Court flips that: Basketball context first, and player control over what they publish and how they engage.”
Hunt and his co-founders saw that shift as an opportunity. If basketball drives culture online, they reasoned, athletes should own the digital real estate that comes with it.
The Off Court solution
Off Court combines the best elements of Instagram, YouTube, Patreon, and Snapchat into one basketball-focused hub. The platform allows players to post exclusive content, interact directly with fans, and generate revenue through ads, subscriptions, and merchandise sales.
For the first time, athletes are equity holders in the platform rather than just content providers.
“They’ll have input into how their content is surfaced, how communities form around them, and how engagement translates into real value,” said Hunter and Fee. “Also, unlike legacy platforms that keep nearly all ad revenue, Off Court is structured so players share directly in the upside when their content drives traffic and attention.”
Beyond providing tools for monetization, Off Court aims to foster authentic storytelling, avoiding a structured and formulaic approach to how content is produced and shared. Fans can see what life looks like for players beyond the highlights. They can dive into training sessions, personal hobbies, locker room moments, and community work. It’s a chance for athletes to present their real selves rather than curated snapshots controlled by major media companies.
For Garland, Off Court represents both a business opportunity and a cultural statement. The Cavaliers guard has built a reputation for his calm leadership and creativity on and off the court. His involvement adds credibility to the platform’s bold mission and ensures Cleveland’s presence in a groundbreaking digital venture.
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“The access through Off Court will allow casual fans to be real community members who get to know the person behind the jersey,” said Garland. “The platform’s whole ethos, ‘player-owned, player-led’, is about showing that basketball is part of a bigger lifestyle and culture. Off Court is as much about the person as the player. That human layer is what helps the platform stand apart from traditional social media or highlight-driven sports coverage.”
Garland’s participation also highlights a growing trend among NBA players who see themselves as entrepreneurs and content creators as much as athletes. In recent years, stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry have launched production companies and media ventures. Off Court continues that evolution but puts ownership directly in the players’ hands.
The app will launch with a roster of NBA players already committed to creating content, headlined by Garland, Nesmith, and Pritchard. After that, the founders plan to expand into the WNBA, college basketball, and eventually other sports. Hunt said the broader goal is to build a global network of athlete-led communities across disciplines.
For fans, the benefits are just as significant. They will gain direct, unfiltered access to their favorite players and a chance to support them through subscriptions, exclusive drops, and live interactions. Hunt said in a press release that Off Court aims to provide a “signal-over-noise” experience focused solely on authentic basketball and storytelling, with no reliance on artificial intelligence, rather than the chaos of mainstream social feeds.
As the app rolls out, the founders plan to introduce additional features and partnerships that help athletes turn their digital presence into sustainable income. However, for now, Hunter and Fee shared with Newsweek that the focus will be on building a strong, robust community and eventually handing over the keys to the athletes to offer subscription-based content on their preferred terms.
“Our goal is simple: build a genuine community first, then give players the tools to earn from it in a way that strengthens, not replaces, that connection,” said Hunter and Fee to Newsweek.
With Garland’s vision and Hunt and Fee’s creator-first approach, Off Court represents a new chapter in how athletes control their brands and connect with fans. The platform’s official launch is set for October 17 for iOS, with plans to expand to web and Android-based platforms down the line. More information can be found at offcourt.io. Fans can also download the app right now at offcourt.io/app.
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For more about the Cleveland Cavaliers, Darius Garland, and the NBA, head over to Newsweek Sports.