Warriors Scholarship Recipient Builds on NBA Corporate Partnerships Experience
This summer, Dwayne Pittman III ’27, recipient of the 2026 Golden State Warriors Scholarship, interned with the Golden State Warriors on the Corporate Partnerships team. For Dwayne, the opportunity represented both a homecoming and another step forward in his career.
A native of Oakland, Dwayne returned to the Bay Area after starting the Sport Management program at the SoCal campus. With the Warriors, he contributed to partnership projects, conducted research on brands and agencies, and gained a deeper understanding of the strategy behind building relationships between professional sports organizations and their corporate partners.
Building on His Corporate Partnerships Experience
Before joining the Warriors, Dwayne spent an NBA season working in Corporate Partnerships with the LA Clippers. There, he learned firsthand what goes into developing business relationships at the NBA level, particularly through sponsorships and activations. He also saw how departments across an organization collaborate to create successful experiences for partners and fans.
When he joined the Golden State team, Dwayne wanted to build on that foundation while continuing to expand his understanding of the partnership business, particularly in exploring future opportunities for teams and brands to collaborate.
“Coming into this internship, I was excited to continue growing within the sports industry and gain a deeper understanding of corporate partnerships, but this experience has given me so much more than that,” Dwayne shared.
Through his internship, Dwayne learned that successful partnerships require more than connecting a team with a recognizable brand. Communication, creativity, research, relationship-building, and an understanding of what each organization hopes to accomplish all play a role in bringing a partnership to life.
Learning From the People Around Him
While Dwayne strengthened his understanding of the business side of partnerships, some of his most valuable takeaways came from the professionals around him. Throughout the summer, he made an effort to ask questions, learn about different career paths, and seek advice from professionals across the organization.
“I’ve been able to learn from so many talented professionals, hear about their experiences, ask questions, and gain advice that I know I’ll carry with me throughout my career,” Dwayne reflected.
Those conversations encouraged him to become more curious and intentional about his own professional development. Rather than viewing the internship solely as an opportunity to complete projects, Dwayne used his time with the Warriors to build relationships and better understand the range of career paths available within the sports industry.
From Los Angeles Back Home to the Bay
Dwayne’s experiences with the LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors have given him the opportunity to see corporate partnerships from inside two NBA organizations. Each has contributed something different to his development, allowing him to strengthen his knowledge while seeing how different teams approach partnerships, collaboration, and relationship-building.
Returning to the Bay Area made the Warriors experience especially meaningful. For the Oakland native, the summer brought together his personal connection to the region with his growing professional experience in the sports industry.
As Dwayne continues through the USF Sport Management program, he does so with experience from two NBA organizations, a stronger understanding of partnership strategy, and an expanding network of professionals who have helped shape his career journey.
To learn more about the USF Sport Management program, visit the Sports Management page.
