The San Francisco Giants are using a club legend, the greatest shooter in NBA history, and a currently rostered player in their promotional campaign this upcoming season. The team announced that it'll give away Barry Bonds and Steph Curry bobbleheads as well as a Jung Hoo Lee hooded jersey, via NBC Sports' Alex Pavlovic.
Bonds, of course, is MLB's all-time home run leader with 762. The 14-time All-Star played in San Francisco from 1993-2007 and also set the single-season homer record with 73 in 2001. However, his legacy is complicated by his steroid use, similar to other stars of the same era. The MLB has still not inducted him into the Hall of Fame because of it.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old Curry is still getting buckets for the Golden State Warriors. The NBA's all-time three-point shooting leader was the centerpiece of the Warriors' 2010s dynasty, which came shortly after the Giants' MLB domination. San Francisco won the World Series in 2010, '12, and '14, while Golden State won the NBA Finals in '15, '17, and '18. The Warriors also won in '22 for good measure.
This gave the Bay Area a stacked trophy case over the last 15 years, which more than made up for the San Francisco 49ers' lack of championships during that time.
Finally, while Lee isn't at a Bonds or Curry level yet, the South Korean international is one of the Giants' most exciting players. After a dominant KBO (South Korean League) career that included a 2022 MVP award, he signed a six-year, $113 million contract with San Francisco on Dec. 14, 2023. However, his rookie year was cut short by a season-ending shoulder injury on May 12, 2024.
Lee, though, is now fully healthy and ready for spring training, via Yonhap News Agency's Yoo Jee-ho.
“First and foremost, my goal is to play the full season without getting hurt,” the 26-year-old said. “And hopefully, I can help the team get to the postseason, too. I am so grateful for the way the team has taken care of me. I want to go back out there and help the team the best I can. I can tell you I am 100 percent healthy now.”
After hovering around .500 for the last three seasons, the Giants are using creative ways to maintain fan turnout. However, between Lee's return and the signing of Justin Verlander, San Francisco has a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021.