NEW YORK – Jamaican-born athletic entrepreneur Michael Kennedy is exploring ways to return home. He aims not just to reconnect, but to help build a stronger basketball future for Jamaica. His passion for Jamaican basketball propels his mission.
In an exclusive interview with South Florida Caribbean News, the Kingston College graduate, now based in New York, shared his vision of giving back to the island. He plans to help strengthen its basketball infrastructure and deepen the local talent pool. With Jamaican basketball in mind, he aims to nurture emerging athletes.
“I have seen a number of players go away on basketball scholarships, and we ought to ensure there’s a proper infrastructure in place to have them return to represent Jamaica,” said Kennedy, who stands 6’9” and brings decades of global basketball experience to the conversation.
Michael Kennedy’s Sports Career
A graduate of San Diego State University, Kennedy is a former professional basketball player whose career spanned more than 17 years across Europe, Asia, and North America. He competed in some of the world’s most competitive leagues, playing in Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Turkey, Israel, and Taiwan. His journey through international basketball shaped his insights on Jamaican basketball development.
Over the years, he has also been instrumental in helping more than 200 Jamaican youths secure basketball scholarships to the United States. His efforts reflect the potential of Jamaican basketball talent.
Now an entrepreneur, creative technologist, and media strategist, Kennedy believes Jamaica has the raw ingredients to compete at the highest international levels. These include the Olympic Games. For Kennedy, Jamaican basketball could someday grace the Olympics stage.
Michael Kennedy
“I would love to see Jamaica at the Olympics,” he said. “I believe we have a good player complement which has been boosted by players who ply their skills in the United States and Europe, but it appears there are a few missing pieces. However, credit to the coaching staff for getting the current team to the next playoff round.”
Upcoming Games
Jamaica’s national basketball team is set to face the Bahamas on February 26 and Canada on March 1 at the National Indoor Sports Center in Kingston. Matches Kennedy is watching closely as conversations around long-term development continue, with hopes pinned on enhancing Jamaican basketball prospects.
Talent Development
After retiring from professional basketball, Kennedy transitioned seamlessly into talent development and entrepreneurship. His focus remained on Jamaican basketball, fostering future stars.
In Toronto, Canada, he worked extensively in basketball development circles, contributing to the growth of elite talent including NBA stars Kawhi Leonard and R.J. Barrett. His contributions to basketball extend back to nurturing Jamaican basketball dreams.
During his time in Canada, he also raised a family before relocating to China. There, he spent a decade further expanding his global outlook, always keeping Jamaican basketball aspirations in sight.
Life After the Game
Upon returning to North America, Kennedy shifted his focus toward digital media and education. He concentrated on how athletes and creatives can build sustainable careers beyond sport. That work culminated in the founding of Athletic Entrepreneur, a media and education platform designed to apply elite athletic discipline to business, creativity, and modern work. His vision extends to creating platforms that benefit Jamaican basketball.
Sports and AI
Today, Kennedy’s work sits at the intersection of sports, storytelling, and artificial intelligence. Through written, visual, and multimedia content, he explores athlete brand ownership and the NIL economy. He also delves into global sports culture and the role of AI as a creative and entrepreneurial tool. His insights are shaped by lived experience as a Jamaican athlete navigating international systems, professional transitions, and the often-challenging realities of life after sport. His Jamaican basketball experiences significantly inform his perspectives.
Kennedy frequently writes and speaks about identity, adaptability, and ownership, particularly as they relate to athletes and creatives operating on a global stage. For him, giving back to Jamaica is not only about basketball. It’s about creating systems that allow talent to thrive, return, and represent the island with pride. Jamaican basketball is more than a sport, it’s a gateway to broader opportunities.
As discussions continue, one thing is clear: Michael Kennedy’s vision for Jamaican basketball extends far beyond the court. He aims instead to build a sustainable pipeline that supports athletes long after the final buzzer. In his vision, Jamaican basketball holds a transformative potential for the island’s athletes.
