CryptoKitties maker Dapper Labs announced that it has raised $12 million in a round headlined by several current NBA players, along with numerous heavyweights from throughout the blockchain and crypto ecosystem.

"NBA players are more than just athletes. They are creators of culture, and uncompromising in doing what is right for their fans,” Roham Gharegozlou, founder and CEO of Dapper Labs, told Decrypt.

Between the existing investment groups and new ones, not to mention a slate of notable NBA players onboard, there's clearly growing excitement over Dapper Labs' ability to translate the hype and excitement around CryptoKitties into more and more collectible experiences.

Dapper Labs is making big moves of late, including licensed crypto collectibles featuring the NBA and the creations of Dr. Seuss, and the company has just raised a significant round of funding to continue its ambitious push.