The Cavinder Twins & Champs Sports Spread Holiday Joy
It was only fitting that Haley and Hanna Cavinder create a quick social media post after hosting a community giveback event in Dallas, Texas. Their sharp rise into national stardom began with TikTok videos during the pandemic, turning the college basketball players into sports celebrities.
The new level of attention coincided perfectly with the new Name, Image, & Likeness (NIL) rules in the NCAA, which allowed student-athletes to sign endorsement deals. The 22-year-olds have kept their foot on the gas over the past few years and quickly built a media machine that has cemented their place in the sports media world for many years to come.
Haley and Hanna recently partnered with Champs Sports to give back to their new community. The twin sisters took 25 kids from the Mesquite Boys & Girls Club to the Champs Sports Park Lane store in Dallas to shop with a $200 Champs Sports gift card. FanNation Kicks spoke with the Cavinders about the importance of philanthropy in their growing media empire. They also shared what is in their sneaker rotation and made predictions for the hottest sneakers of 2024.
Tell me about the holiday giveback event. How did it go?
Hanna: "Oh, it was amazing. I think that Haley and I were trying to figure out something to do. We just moved to Texas, and we thought it would be a great idea just to kind of dive into the community a little bit and come down to Champs. They were able to help us bring in the community and be able to give the kids a gift card and see them shopping really is what the holiday spirit is all about. It was so much fun."
Haley: "We were having a discussion on Thanksgiving about what we could do to give back to the community, and we have such a good partnership with Champs, we thought it'd be a great idea for little kids to come and shop and just spend the evening with them. It was really, really fun. They're just so pure, and they're just so happy. Just to be there and hang out. And so it was really good to get the holiday spirit, especially to do it in Dallas."
How important is that philanthropic component of your platform?
Hanna: "Oh, absolutely. I think being able to give back in different ways, obviously with kids, we obviously love doing that during the holiday season. We are really passionate about that because we struggled with an eating disorder growing up. So being able to get back into that community and just kind of use our platform to have a voice - it is amazing."
Haley: "We were given this platform, and I do think that it comes with a special responsibility, and to be able to do events like this and give back to the community to some of the kids that can't come to Champs to shop on a regular day is special. So it just means a lot to be able to use the platform like ours and to just make little kids' days. Give them a memory that I hope they will remember for a little bit. But I think just being able to share our platform within other communities, and going to events and just showing that our community is really important to us."
So, do most people know you from basketball, your podcast, or TikTok?
Hanna: "I think it's kind of all the above. It definitely started with basketball, and then we started doing TikToks with basketballs and dribbling beats, and it was just a domino effect after that. But I think we expanded into all different audiences, so it's been really cool to see, and being able to interact with all different ages and genders is awesome."
Haley: "Yeah I think it starts with us being twins and in a new space, being able to play Division One basketball with your twin sister and perform at a high level. I think that's something that most people don’t see every day. So it just gives us kind of an edge in the social media space. But as years have gone on, we have dove into a lot of different media platforms to allow us to touch different audiences and share our passions outside of basketball. So it's really fun to see how it worked out."
Switching gears, what sneakers are in your rotation?
Hanna: "Okay, I have been obsessed with New Balance! I definitely have been wearing those a lot during the winter. I just like the style right now is just really fitting for me. I used to be a Jordan girl, but right now, I really like New Balance and the adidas Sambas as well."
Haley: "I love New Balances. I also love Jordan Lows. I think that nothing looks better with a sweat outfit and some Jordan Lows or Jordan 11s. So that's in my rotation right now. But I do like to throw a pair of Uggs on every now and then because it's cold in Texas."
Last question: Do you have any predictions for hot sneakers in 2024?
Hanna: "Definitely New Balance is on the rise right now for sure. I also think the adidas Sambas - I think a lot of people are traveling overseas, and those kind of got hot, and it kind of made their way back. So those, and I think Jordans never die. I mean, you can always go with Jordans, no matter what. Those are my predictions, and I can't wait."
Haley: I think New Balances touch a lot of audiences, and you can wear them with a dress in the right environment. But if you're chilling in leggings or something, you can wear them with that, too. So I think they have a lot of different looks and different audiences they can touch, so that's my prediction. I'm going with the New Balance just because some girls don't really have Jordans in their closets, and they're not vibing with it, so I think New Balance is going to be my prediction.
