New York Knicks Great Allan Houston, Brian Kortovich On Why ACES Has Become A Big Platform In Basketball Community

Brian Kortovich and Alex Toussaint attend Aces Night Out at Sei Less on June 21, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images) Getty Images Brian Kortovich is making quite the impact off of the basketball court as a former player with his brand, ACES . The former pro basketball player never quite made it professionally to the NBA -- he had preseason camp stints with the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets -- but he played professionally overseas in countries such as France, Kuwait, Israel and the Dominican Republic.

Kortovich also made his name on the streets of New York City's EBC RuckerPark against well-known players such as Joe Hammond and Kevin Durant, winning the scoring title in the process. However, an Achilles injury eventually spelled the end of his basketball career, leading him into starting ACES as a brand platform. That passion for basketball that led him to an athletic career eventually paved the way for the 44-year-old Kortovich to make his mark with his brand.

While the platform is well-known for its clothing -- think stylish jackets and hats -- it also acts as a content marketing brand. Kortovich -- through ACES -- has held activations at major events and has had partnerships with the likes of Nike, NBA 2K, New Era. The brand recently held an activation during 2026 NBA All-Star weekend with Chase and DoorDash.

Those stints in the NBA and in NYC led to Kortovich developing friendships with players such as Knicks great Allan Houston and former longtime NBA vet P. J. Tucker.