Brian Kortovich is a professional basketball player known as "Smokin' Aces" who has played internationally after overcoming two career-ending knee injuries in college. He is launching a social media campaign to earn a spot on an NBA roster, highlighting his hustle and determination. Kortovich founded Aces Basketball, a non-profit providing coaching to youth, and has acted in movies to sustain his basketball career against the odds.

1. Give bk
ashot.com
Brian Kortovich
is Smokin’Aces.
Official Press Kit
For distribution only.

2. The STory
About
bK.
Who is
Brian Kortovich?
At 6’1”, Cleveland, Ohio-born Brian
Kortovich has never been a likely
candidate for professional basketball.
But, he’s never let that stop him. Brian
has surmounted the impossible. Not
one, but two career-ending knee injuries
during his collegiate prime.
A disjointed childhood where he
witnessed his father’s aggressive and
losing battle with appendix cancer.
A career path that’s forced him to at
various times act as his own agent,
advisor, and deal-maker. Now, Brian
has more hustle than ever.

3. The STory
BUILDING UPON HIS HARD-WON STREET
BALLER PERSONA AND RUCKER PARK
NICKNAME, SMOKIN’ ACES, BRIAN
KORTOVICH HAS SPENT THE LAST
FOUR YEARS PLAYING BASKETBALL
INTERNATIONALLY IN KUWAIT, ITALY,
FRANCE, ISRAEL, AND THE DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC. HE’S BEEN A FIERCE
COMPETITOR DURING THE KNICKS
AND NETS PRESEASON WORKOUTS.
AFTER BEING DRAFTED INTO THE NBA
D-LEAGUE, BK IS JUST GETTING STARTED.
NOW, STAGING A GUTSY SOCIAL MEDIA
BLITZ TO COINCIDE WITH HIS LATEST
NBA BID, HE’S UPPING THE ANTE ONCE
AGAIN AND HOPING TO EARN HIS WAY
TO U.S. RECOGNITION.
Team KorTovich

4. Timeline
1984: Picks up first basketball, promptly drops it Summer 2007: Officially breaks onto the scene with an
1989: Moves across town into a family friend’s house. epic performance at the EBC Tournament in Rucker Park,
For the next two years, learns what it’s like to share a earning him the nickname, Smokin’ Aces
bathroom with 5 women and sleep under a pool table Summer 2007: Makes it to the finals at the world’s most
famous arena, Madison Square Garden, during NYC’s
1990: Makes his first 3-point shot on a regulation-size
Last Man Standing: 1 on 1 Tournament
basket ball court
Fall 2007: Works out with the Italian A-1 club ,Eldo
1991: His father, Joseph is diagnosed with stage
Napoli, though management ends up signing a 6’7”
Brian Kortovich Four appendix cancer
American with experience on the Atlanta Hawks
is Smokin’ Aces. 1992-1997: Watches his mother struggle to raise two
kids, work two jobs and go to school without any help
2008: Signs with France’s Enfant Baskets, Bonjour!
beyond minor welfare assistance 2009: Signs with the Israeli team, Maccabi Givat Shmuel
August 31, 1992: Joseph Kortovich dies at 44 years old Summer 2009: Starts Aces Basketball, a non-profit
providing basketball coaching and support to kids
1996: Heavily recruited to Holy Name, a private
of all ages
high school in Cleveland
July 2009: Poses a serious threat to a 6’7” free agent
1998: Watches his mother graduate from Cleveland
hopeful during a workout with the New York Knicks
St. University at the age of 48 with B.A. in Social Work
August 2009: Shoots scenes with Stars Queen Latifah
1999: Transfers to Brunswick High School after tuition
and Common in the movie, Just Wright
at Holy becomes prohibitively expensive
Fall 2009: Joins up with a few select free agents for
2000: Starts Cuyahoga Community College (CCC)
preseason workouts with the Knicks roster, falls short,
in downtown Cleveland after being overlooked
but gets invited for preseason workouts with the New
by D1 college programs
Jersey Nets, proving his game NBA-worth
2001: Finishes a golden freshman season and leads
november 2009: Drafted into the NBA Developmental
the nation in 3-pointers (111), earning spot on the
League with the last pick of the draft (6th round, 129th
All-Conference team
selection: Alberquerque Thunderbirds,
2001: Squeaks past the 6’ mark and measures in at 6’1” Phoenix Suns NBA affiliate)
2002: Blows another season out of the water, receives April 2010: After three years of paperwork, finally
offer to play on Manhattan College’s D1 team; puts CCC receives Croatian citizenship and passport
on the map as a breeding ground for D1 hopefuls
Spring 2010: Signs with IBL Club and averages
2002: Considered ineligible for Manhattan College’s 23 ppg and 5 apg
program due to clerical errors and miscommunication.
may 2010: Inks with a club in the Dominican Republic
Loses a year of eligibility, forced to transfer yet again
July 2010: Learns how to bartend online in order
2003: Joins California University of Pennsylvania’s
to pay NYC rent
DII program
July 2010: Shoots scenes with Anna Faris as the body
Summer 03: Tears his ACL, MCL and LCL during
double for Chris Evans in What’s Your Number?
Cleveland’s Pro Am Tournament one week before
reporting to campus August 2010: Impresses Golden State Warriors scout
during an individual workout
August 03 – February 2004: Spends 6 months in
a rigorous physical therapy program Fall 2010: Participates in NY Knicks and NJ Nets
preseason workouts yet again, proving he has the skills
2004: Returns to Cal U of PA in fighting shape, only to
to compete
find out his place on the roster has been given away
march 2011: Signs with the Texas Legends,
2005: Transfers to Urbana University and joins forces
Dallas Mavericks NBA affiliate
with Coach Paul Bryant, determined to finish his roller
coaster college career on a high note June 2011: Seeks positions in Zagreb, Croatia for
Euroleague Club Cibona and the Croatian National 2012
november 2005: 7:30pm: Starts in the opening game
Olympic Team. Falls short due not to lack of skill, but lack
of his senior year 7:35pm: Lands awkwardly on a
of recognizable name
defender’s foot, reinjuring the same knee
7:40pm: Officially ends college career october 2011: Launches GiveBKaShot.com
may 2006: Takes an internship at FC Stone on Wall
Street one week after graduation
2006-2007: Shows up nightly on the courts of Harlem,
the Bronx, Washington Heights, and Brooklyn to prove
himself to his toughest audience yet
January 2007: Receives a call from Kuwait to play for a
team dead in the middle of serious political conflict.
Despite the reticence of his family and friends, packs up
his life and moves east

5. humBle BeginningS
What inspires Brian?
After enduring the loss of his father,
Joseph, to cancer at an early age,
Brian’s mother Laural struggled trying to
raise both Brian and his sister, Jessica.
Laural worked day and night shifts while
also finishing her bachelor’s degree to
become a social worker. Watching his
mother sacrifice so much and prevail in
the end proved to Brian the power
of dedication and relentless pursuit.
The hoop where it all started. Outside BK’s home in Ohio.

6. CommuniTy
how does Brian give back?
Brian doesn’t play basketball because he can, he plays
basketball because it’s deeply ingrained in who he is. Picking
up the game at an early age and playing through tough times,
emotionally and physically, he knows how much he owes to the
sport. Years of independent practice and seasons of teamwork
and skill development instilled in him a lean self-reliance and
mental stamina that has carried him through every day of his
life on and off the court. Sharing those values and strong pillars
of character with young basketball players, Brian is committed
to working with and creating programs that give young players
the guidance, structure, and mentorship that he didn’t always
have himself. ACES BASKETBALL
Brian founded Aces Basketball to demonstrate to
players of all ages that basketball can truly be a positive
force in their lives. Aces Basketball provides on court
instruction to youth of all ages, as well as college and
overseas professionals.

7. TeSTimoniAlS i plAyed BAll WiTh
BriAn reCenTly And
There iS no douBT
BK CAn ShooT ThAT he CAn plAy
in The nBA. he hAS
The roCK WiTh The TAlenT, WorK
eThiC, And hiS Jump
The BeST oF Them, ShoT iS on poinT.
iF i Were A gm,
AT Any level. he’d Be on my TeAm.
cArmelo AntHonY, new York knicks
he CAn deFiniTely BriAn iS A Tough
CompeTiTor Who
Be An ASSeT To KnoWS The gAme And
hAS A greAT STroKe.
TeAmS in The nBA.
sAm mitcHell,
he hAS Seen The
level oF energy And
Former nBA coAcH oF tHe YeAr:
toronto rAptors And nJ nets coAcH
CommiTmenT ThAT
iT TAKeS To plAy
AT ThiS level.
i love hiS pASSion.
AllAn Houston,
new York knicks All-time greAt And
A current knicks’ AssistAnt gm
BriAn iS A greAT Floor
leAder, very heAdy,
BriAn iS A lighTS ouT ShooTer CAn mAKe ShoTS oFF
And hAS A greAT underSTAnding The driBBle or CATCh
oF The gAme. he hAS oBviouSly And ShooT. he’S goT
Been overlooKed For WhATever A greAT ChAnCe To
reASon. he CAn plAy in The nBA mAKe An nBA roSTer
And proved iT AgAinST our guyS And hiS WorK eThiC
in CAmp. There’S A SpoT on every Will Keep him in
nBA roSTer For BriAn.” The leAgue.
dAn d’Antoni, new York knicks’ AssistAnt coAcH AntHonY mArrow, new JerseY nets sg
BriAn KOrtOvich iS A greAt BK hAS A deAdly jumPer. BriAn iS An inSPirAtiOn fOr BriAn emBOdieS the
ShOOter frOm the Pg frOm the Pg POSitiOn AnyOne fOllOwing A dreAm underdOg. he’S AlreAdy
POSitiOn whO AlSO hAS A he cAn run A teAm At thiS And PrOOf thAt if yOu Add Been All Over the wOrld
gOOd mind fOr the gAme level if cAlled uPOn hArd wOrK, dedicAtiOn And And Seen A lOt. he will
speedY clAxton And i KnOw he cAn lAnd A determinAtiOn tO tAlent, cOntinue tO Be A PrO
10 YeAr nBA cAreer
nBA cHAmpion: spurs 2003
rOSter SPOt On A lOt Of Anything cAn Be Achieved. BAller fOr yeArS tO
current golden teAmS in the nBA. micHAel luscHer cOme. he POSSeSSeS
Founder & ceo, point 3
stAte wArriors scout kevin mArtin thAt nyc huStle And An
#12 sHooting guArd,
Houston rockets
unBelievABle wOrK ethic.
And did i mentiOn...whAt A
nicKnAme: SmOKin’ AceS
niels JAger
mArketing & design
oF k1x BAsketBAll

8. TeSTimoniAlS Bk on set of the cBs college sports
Basketball campaign
“expect Anything”
for ncAA march madness
courtesy of cBs college sports and
richard mitchell

9. TeSTimoniAlS Bk on set of the cBs college sports
Basketball campaign
“expect Anything”
for ncAA march madness
courtesy of cBs college sports and
richard mitchell

10. oFF The CourT
Film
>SAG eligible
What’s Your Number (2011)
Comedy starring Chris Evans and Anna Faris
Just Wright (2010)
Comedy starring Queen Latifah and Common
BK and Charles Oakley, both K1X affiliates, at the
Tv K1X launch party in NYC.
>CBS College Sports
“Expect Anything” March Madness College Basketball.
>Herbalife and K1x Brand Promo
>World of Jenks Windows Phone Promo
http://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewJenks#p/
u/6/zIIp-hOkcFQ
print
> CBS College Sports
> K1x add online and print
> Slam Magazine
> Bounce Magazine
BK with Chris Evans on the red carpet of the
premiere of What’s your Number?
BK on set with Anna Faris in What’s your Number?
BK on the set of Just Wright with Common.

11. preSS CoverAge
K1x.Com Introducing: Road to the Association BoxoFmeSS.Com The Story of Brian Kortovich.
http://k1x.com/blog/basketball/page/5/ http://boxofmess.com/2011/01/16/25-the-story-
of-brian-kortovich/
ClevelAnd.Com From Cleveland to Croatia and a few stops in
between. http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/06/ SlAmonline Coming up the hard way: on concrete & asphalt
brian_kortovichs_hoops_dreams.html http://www.slamonline.com/online/other-ballers/
streetball/2009/08/trip-aces/
dime mAg Doing everything to make it.
http://dimemag.com/2011/03/doing-everything-to-make- medinAgAzeTTe Brunswick grad making a name for himself.
it/#more-72790 http://medinagazette.northcoastnow.com/2009/07/22/
brunswick-grad-making-a-name-for-himself/
2WordSTheTop.Com Brian Kortovich Wants An NBA Team To
Take A Chance. http://2wordsthetop.com/2011/07/08/one-shot- JASperJoTTingS-dAily.Com Homegrown yet little known.
brian-kortovich-want-an-nba-team-to-take-a-chance/ http://jasperjottings-daily.com/2007/05/20/jfound-brian-
kortovich-mc/
BounCe mAg Smokin’ Aces waiting for NBA call.
http://www.bouncemag.com/2011/02/14/
brian-smokin-aces-kortovich-waiting-for-nba-call/
Other sponsors and groups associated with BK

12. Give bk
ashot.com
pr/mArKeTing opporTuniTieS,
KEITH BIELORY – STEP UP MANAGEMENT
KEITH@STEPUPMANAGEMENT.COM
914.438.6183
WWW.STEPUPMANAGEMENT.COM
BASKeTBAll opporTuniTieS,
BRIAN GRAHAM
BMGFOREvER@GMAIL.COM
718.219.1005
After making it to the last cuts in the NY Knicks preseason camp, BK is just getting
started by surmounting the impossible and never giving up.

13. ConTACT BK