Posted by Actively Black
on September 25, 2026
Face2Face Africa profiled Actively Black, the Black-owned sportswear brand Lanny Smith launched in 2020, in a March 2023 story on how the former basketball player set out to build a company that could challenge Nike and Adidas.
The piece, which draws on Lanny’s interview with CNBC Make It, centers the question that started it all: why don’t the brands built on Black talent reinvest in Black communities?
Key takeaways
- Face2Face Africa reported that Lanny’s NBA dream ended with a knee injury in 2009, one month after he signed with the Sacramento Kings.
- Citing CNBC Make It, Face2Face Africa reported that Actively Black was valued at $30 million in 2021 and brought in $5.6 million in 2022.
- According to Face2Face Africa, the company reinvests 10% of its profit into social justice, mental health and physical health in Black communities.
- Face2Face Africa listed recent donations to the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation, The Liberation Fund, Black Kids Code, Our Own and Families United.
- The outlet noted the brand’s Black Panther-themed collaboration with Disney and its official uniforms for Nigeria at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
- Face2Face Africa reported that Actively Black signed an NIL deal with North Carolina women’s basketball player Deja Kelly.
In Lanny's words
“a lot of these sports apparel brands have profited off of Black talent.”
— Lanny Smith, to CNBC Make It, as cited by Face2Face Africa
“Deja is an incredible talent with shared sensibilities rooted in empowering and reinvesting in Black communities.”
— Lanny Smith, on the Deja Kelly NIL partnership, via Face2Face Africa
“As this brand grows, some of these athletes are going to grow up with the brand”
— Lanny Smith, via Face2Face Africa
Why it matters
Face2Face Africa captured the core of our mission: the sportswear industry grew on Black influence and Black dollars, and Actively Black exists to send more of that value back where it came from. Reinvestment is built into how we operate, not added as an afterthought.
The story also points to the long game. By backing athletes like Deja Kelly early, Lanny said, the brand aims to have a seat at the table when those athletes sign their pro deals. We’re building our own table so the next generation has more options than we did.
Shop the story
Wear the uniforms Face2Face Africa mentioned in the Team Nigeria kit and the Wakanda collection, or honor a legacy we support in Huey P. Newton x Actively Black.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Actively Black?
Lanny Smith, a former basketball player whose NBA career with the Sacramento Kings ended after a 2009 knee injury, founded Actively Black in 2020.
What did Face2Face Africa say about Actively Black?
Face2Face Africa described Actively Black as a sportswear company challenging Nike and Adidas and, citing CNBC Make It, reported a $30 million valuation in 2021 and $5.6 million in 2022 revenue.
Does Actively Black give back to the community?
Face2Face Africa reported that the company reinvests 10% of its profit into social justice, mental health and physical health in Black communities, with donations to groups including the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation and Black Kids Code.
Is Actively Black Black-owned?
Yes. Actively Black is a Black-owned athletic apparel brand.
Read the full feature: How former basketball player Lanny Smith built a $30M company to challenge Nike and Adidas, Face2Face Africa (March 2023)
