Jennings lands perk-filled internship

He has use of the CEO’s tricked-out Jeep, an expense-paid condo and a glass-enclosed office overlooking the city’s inner harbor – complete with a name plate that announces his official position: “Curator of Cool.”

Interns aren’t supposed to get these kind of perks, but then most interns aren’t Brandon Jennings(notes), Milwaukee Bucks guard and endorser for Under Armour. Not only is he using the NBA lockout to work out at the athletic apparel company’s headquarters this summer, he’s also working in Under Armour’s footwear department.

“Right now we’re in lockout, so in Milwaukee we can’t use any of the facilities or talk to any of the NBA coaches,” Jennings said. “I felt like this is just a great opportunity and place for me where I can just focus and get better.”

Under Armour was largely known for its football gear until it broke into basketball in 2008 when the company signed Jennings after he went straight from high school to a professional team in Italy. Kris Stone, Under Armour’s director of pro basketball sports marketing, brought Jennings and several members of the Bucks staff to Baltimore this past season for dinner and a tour of the company’s offices. Jennings noticed the building contained a basketball court, and asked if it was possible to work out there during the offseason.
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Jennings also has some advice for any NBA player considering playing overseas.

“I don’t think they know what they’re in for,” he said. “It’s different. It’s a different type of basketball. You’re out of your comfort zone. The way we live life is different than how they live life. It’s not about that one person on the team, it’s about the whole team and winning.

“We flew commercial. We shared a room with our teammates – unless you want to pay for your own room. You eat meals with your team. There is no going out by yourself and getting something to eat. We eat together – breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
As part of his internship, Jennings is helping Under Armour's footwear department create designs for their jogging and basketball shoes.
(Under Armour)

Under Armour has more than 250 endorsers, including Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Michael Phelps and Heather Mitts, so it’s not unusual for employees at the company’s headquarters to see an athlete walking through the halls. But Jennings is different. He’s in the building daily, eats lunch in the cafeteria and has a posh office that includes laptop and desktop computers.

Under Armour executives initially considered giving their new intern a more modest cubicle, but the rest of the footwear department was having trouble getting work done with Jennings around.

“He’ll walk into the office, which is early for him, about 8 and say, ‘How come no one is working right now?’ ” said Ryan Drew, the company’s director of basketball. “I’ll be in the middle of a meeting, and he’ll just roll in. I’ll say, ‘Hey man, you have anything to add?’