Above the Rim (ATR), the basketball brand owned by Collective Brands, announced its endorsement deal with streetball legend Corey “Homicide” Williams. Under the terms of the deal, Williams will endorse ATR footwear and apparel and serve as an active brand ambassador, assisting in ATR’s grassroots marketing programs. He will also participate in the brand’s photo shoot later this month and be featured in a series of brand videos.

“Corey’s passion and dedication to the game of basketball is an inspiration to young rising players across the country,” said Bruce Pettet, President and CEO at Collective Licensing, LLC (CLI), the company that manages the ATR brand. “His story exhibits the kind of dedication that defines the essence of the ATR Brand. And his authentic personality makes him an ideal ambassador to support ATR’s summer programming of youth basketball clinics and tournaments.”

Born and raised in the Bronx, N.Y., Williams began his college career at Penn Valley Community College in Missouri where he led the team to a Junior College National Championship.  He completed his college career at Alabama State University where he averaged nearly 13 points a game for the  Division I school. After his college exit, Williams started making a name for himself on the streetball courts of New York City, dominating pickup games and tournaments at Dyckman Park in Manhattan and Rucker Park in Harlem. With his ability to score and make plays from everywhere on the court, Williams quickly became one of streetball’s most well-known and respected players. In a well-documented game in 2006, Williams scored 25 points against a team led by one of the NBA’s top players at that time.  With numerous legendary performances over the years and his ability to “kill” everyone who stepped on the court, Williams earned the nickname “Homicide” ­­­- streetball’s most dangerous player.

Williams play on the courts of New York has turned the heads of several pro scouts. Williams has played in eight overseas leagues including Brazil, France, Venezuela and Germany. He also attended NBA training camps in Toronto, Denver and Indiana. In 2008, Williams signed with the Townsville Crocodiles in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) and quickly established himself as one of the league’s top guards, being selected to the All NBL Second team in his debut season. In 2009 and 2010, Williams was selected to the All NBL First team and was voted the league’s 2010 Most Valuable Player. This past season, Williams played for the four-time NBL league champions Melbourne Tigers where Williams led the league in assists per game (6.1) and was fifth in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game. He was also selected to the All NBL Second Team.

“Im excited to join the ATR family and help share the brand’s inspirational Rise message to young athletes this summer,” Williams said. “ATR has such a great commitment to helping youths succeed on and off the court, and I am honored to be a part of that continued effort.”

Originally founded in 1989, Above the Rim was re-launched by CLI in late October 2010 as an aspirational and accessible brand of performance basketball footwear and apparel. The foundation of the brand is ATR’s grassroots program designed to support and impact communities on a local level. Additionally, ATR is committed to supporting its roster of rising NBA players including Martell Webster of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Will Bynum of the Detroit Pistons.

Collective Licensing International, LLC, a subsidiary of Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE:PSS), was formed in January 2004 and is the owner and/or license operator of Airwalk, Above The Rim, Vision Street Wear, Clinch Gear, STRIKEFORCE, Sims, Lamar and LTD, World Snowboarding Championships and Hind.