Gatorade, the main sponsor of the Men’s Basketball League, has announced that it is endorsing three local athletes. Basketball players, Steve Schembri, Michael Naudi and Dirk Schembri, will be the first ever Maltese athletes to represent the Gatorade brand locally.

Gatorade supports all kinds of sports and associations in various countries. The beverage was specifically created for athletes to adequately replace the key components lost through sweating and exercise. Today, Gatorade is the official sports drink of hundreds of leagues for men’s and women’s sports.

Gatorade endorses a long list of the world’s best athletes, including internationally renowned basketball players such as Michael Jordan, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett and Vince Carter. The brand also sponsors athletes in other disciplines, such as tennis-player Maria Sharapova, motorcycle racer Jimmie Johnson, and basketball All-Star Derek Jeter, among others.

Basketball players Steve Schembri, Michael Naudi and Dirk Schembri, who are to be endorsed by Gatorade, are among the three most successful athletes in Malta. All three players have competed in and won several local leagues. Steve Schembri has been a member of the National Basketball Team since 1996 and has also won various individual awards, including league top scorer four times, and Most Valuable Player – Player of the Year twice.

Similarly, Michael Naudi has won several individual awards, including Under 16 Player of the Year, Men’s Player of the Month nine times and Men’s Player of the Year. Both Steve and Michael were awarded basketball scholarships in the United States, and played college basketball at Dawson College for a year. In addition, Michael has participated in various promotion cups, and competed in the Small Nations Games in San Marino in 2001 and in Malta in 2003. Dirk Schembri also stands out among other local basketball players, having won two individual cups and competing as part of the All-Star team twice.

The three athletes will be used in this year’s extensive marketing campaign for Gatorade, which includes bus shelters, billboards, in-store promotions and press advertisements.