NFL star Jamaal Williams will hold a charity auction for Naruto merchandise. The avid Naruto fan will also be partnering with Naruto’s English dub voice actress, Maile Flanagan. The auction will take place on May 9th at 8 pm EST. Access to the event can be found on the Whatnot livestream shopping platform. All of the proceeds made from the auction will go to the Jamaal Williams Foundation.
The items available for auction include signed Funko Pops, action figures, manga box sets, headbands, and custom sneakers. Sal “Kickstradomis” Amezcua designed two unique pairs of Air Force 1’s for Williams. Right now, Amezcua is regarded as one of the most influential sneaker customizers for athletes and celebrities. Williams commissioned the pairs himself, one pair featuring Naruto Uzumaki and the other featuring Sasuke Uchiha. Both pairs will be auctioned during the live stream.
Jamaal Williams is an avid fan of anime as a medium and incorporates it into many of his NFL aspects. The header of his Twitter profile features a picture of Gaara from Naruto, and he recently tweeted about his tackling (pun intended) of the One Piece episodes. Last August, he requested that his fans bring him “anime stuff” and recommendations for shows to watch.
Jamaal Williams and Naruto: An Auction for A Good Cause
The Jamaal Williams Foundation is a new non-profit founded by Williams to provide community support. This includes support to assist in youth development and help meet the needs of those facing food insecurities. This event serves as the first auction for the foundation. In regards to the long-running anime series, Williams went on to say:
“The stories and principles of Naruto have been hugely influential for me, both on and off the field. Naruto faces a lot of adversity and was able to move beyond that and become this powerful force of positivity and kindness. Outside of Naruto’s impact on my own life, I have so much love for Naruto and anime communities. these are my people. I’m excited to partner with Whatnot and Maile to celebrate and rally fans around the franchise, all for a great cause I’m passionate about.”
Whatnot is the largest livestream shopping platform in the U.S., connecting buyers and sellers in real-time across any category – from collectibles like trading cards to comics, fashion, sneakers, and more. The platform couples rigorous seller vetting with a focus on community to create a welcoming space for people to share their passions with others.