BRIAN KORTOVICH
FOUNDER & CEO

Brian Kortovich’s life has been defined by dreaming big and overcoming the odds. Brian’s story began in his hometown of Cleveland where he dealt with adversity with the loss of his father at an early age.

Basketball began as a cathartic outlet , and developed into a life-long passion, propelling Brian around the world in search of a hoop and a great game. Brian played professionally in Kuwait, France, Israel, and the Dominican Republic, paving his way into the NBA D-League draft, and pre-season camps with the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets.

The Summer League at NYC’s EBC RuckerPark is where a transformation began. Kortovich became known as "Smokin' Aces” on the way to winning the famed Scoring Title, putting him with greats such as Dr. J, Joe “The Destroyer” Hammond and Kevin Durant. Defending his title, Brian suffered an achilles injury that led to his recovery and vision for ACES, the company he founded and currently leads.

In 2019, ACES® was launched as a game-changing brand platform that connects the worlds of sports, music and entertainment. ACES® current areas of focus are Events, Apparel Sales, and Content Marketing.

The company bridges the aspirational and the accessible, partnering with heavyweights such as Nike, Jordan Brand, NBA2K, Google Pixel, and New Era; collaborating with stars such as Sue Bird, PJ Tucker, Sheryl Swoopes, Quavo, and Justin Bieber; and hosting top high school national athletes through grassroots basketball events such as ACES Elite Classic and the Hustle& Heart Classic, both in NYC. ACES® is Brian's vision of elevating sports culture and community — and sharing more than the game: a narrative of ambition, unity and the brand’s DNA of Hustle & Heart.