Eric Woodyard: Utah Jazz forward Jae Crowder has re-signed with Nike.
Storyline: Sneaker Deals
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One reserve player who has a deal with Nike revealed that he gets free shoes and he’s also given a $20,000 allowance that he can use to shop online. He can buy anything on the website with that money, even shoes and clothes for women and children, so his friends and family can use it too. The deals vary depending on the player. “It is tougher with lesser-known players,” another agent confirmed. “However, you can find local deals for a lesser-known player, even if they have trouble getting national deals. There are always exceptions too. There are a few factors that can help. For example, what does the guy’s social media look like? Maybe he’ll have a big following from his time in college, which can really help. I think it just depends. You can get endorsement deals for lesser-known players, but I do agree that the national deals are typically reserved for All-Stars and high-profile rookies who are just entering the league.”
Josh Okogie: Happy to be a part of the Nike family! #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/KxdAsTg8xg
Nick DePaula: Blake Griffin has agreed to a shoe deal extension with Jordan Brand, in advance of his current deal expiring this Fall. Blake also recently announced the new Griffin Family Performance Center at Oklahoma University. The Sooners will begin wearing Jordan Brand this season. pic.twitter.com/hDMfLW1aUQ
Nick DePaula: Washington Wizards’ 15th overall pick @Troy_Brown33 has agreed to a multi-year shoe deal with Nike. Brown averaged 18 pts & 7 rebs during a strong Summer League showing. He celebrated the deal by donating a batch of Nike shoes to his hometown Las Vegas’ back-to-school kids fair.
Nick DePaula: LA Clippers’ 13th overall pick Jerome Robinson has agreed to a multi-year shoe deal with Nike. pic.twitter.com/NN9SgyC4RC
Shams Charania: New York Knicks rookie Kevin Knox — the No. 9 overall pick in June — has signed a multiyear endorsement deal with Puma, sources say.
Nick DePaula: Puma appears to have signed Knicks rookie Kevin Knox, who had an impressive summer league showing. Knox has the same agent as Terry Rozier, who recently also signed with Puma. Would be a great signing and give the brand more market & positional balance.
Nick DePaula: Clippers PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has agreed to a multi-year footwear & apparel endorsement deal with Nike. pic.twitter.com/9d07msAmDc
Although Rose is now a backup earning the league minimum, he’s still the fifth-highest paid sneaker endorser in the NBA, behind LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Harden. Rose is no longer on the level of those players on the court, but he remains just as popular as any of them in a country that has more NBA fans than the entire population of the United States.
According to industry sources, more than 70 percent of sales of the Rose line come from China, where Adidas boasts more than 10,000 stores, with plans to add 2,000 more by 2020. As recently as 2017, Rose’s No. 25 New York Knicks jersey was among the top 10 sellers in China, and he was No. 36 on the ESPN World Fame 100 list earlier this year, largely due to his continuing support from Chinese fans.
Jared Weiss: Terry Rozier agreed to a multi-year deal with Puma a few weeks ago after they made their big NBA push, but they elected to wait to make the announcement until later in the summer after the first wave of signings. Puma views Scary Terry as an extremely marketable rising star.
B/R Kicks: Everyone is going to want to know the same thing. Why Puma? Terry Rozier: Me signing with Puma is basically letting you know, I’m taking over the Puma world. You got guys taking over Adidas, you got guys taking over Nike, whatever. I’m competing with the Puma world and I’m taking over that s–t. From the jump. That’s my whole thing. I feel like I’m going to turn it up because—I ain’t gonna knock nobody on Puma, but I feel like I’m very marketable, I’m the guy that they needed to sign.
B/R: Why didn’t you stay with Nike? Terry Rozier: I was never with them. I was just wearing them. I ain’t f–kin’ with nobody else but Puma. That’s just what it is. I don’t care that I wore Nike, I’m with Puma now.
One company with strong interest in Hayward is New Balance, which would look to re-launch its dormant basketball category with the Celtics star. The company’s commitment to re-engage in hoops isn’t entirely a secret, as it recently partnered with the Celtics on the team’s new 70,000-square-foot Auerbach Center, the franchise’s new state-of-the-art training facility. In addition to New Balance’s expected interest, Chinese brand Anta could also emerge as a strong contender to sign Hayward. While Klay Thompson is the brand’s current headliner in China, where his “KT” signature line has been a huge hit for the brand that boasts more than 10,600 retail stores throughout Asia, the company’s familiarity with the Celtics could come into play for Hayward. Two of Anta’s initial signature athletes were Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo, both of whom signed just after their 2008 championship season in Boston, establishing a connection for Anta fans with the team ever since.
Kawhi Leonard will have a new team in more ways than one in 2018-19. The former San Antonio Spurs star, who was traded to the Toronto Raptors, has been a Jordan Brand endorser since coming into the league, but industry sources say that the company is going to let Leonard walk when his contract expires later this year. Extension talks between Leonard and the Nike subsidiary stalled earlier this year after Leonard turned down a four-year, $22 million extension.
Would a new company be able to get the historically reserved Leonard to jump in on the arena entry trend, with a series of made-for-social-media-styled outfits that have helped to raise the star power of players around the league? And even if it did, would fans find a sudden pitchman persona contrived and forced, given Leonard’s longtime disdain for promotional appearances and public attention? Like most dynamics currently surrounding the embattled All-NBA forward, there’s no sensing where exactly his head is at, though the coming months should provide some resolution for all involved.
For brands like Puma, New Balance and Nike, there’s an intrigue in Embiid’s on- and off-court skills that could land him one of the highest shoe deal offers of this class. Wherever he lands — don’t rule out a return to Adidas either — he’ll be sure to let you know, in his own unpredictable and hilarious way.
Nick DePaula: BREAKING: Dwyane Wade has agreed to a Lifetime Deal with Chinese brand Li-Ning. He first signed with the company in 2012, is launching his 7th Way of Wade signature shoe & has 11 standalone Wade stores in China. Li-Ning boasts more than 7,000 stores in Asia.
B/R Kicks: First look at the Li-Ning Way of Wade 7 for @Dwyane Wade 👀 pic.twitter.com/jhC3tgdyzS
Nick DePaula: Chicago Bulls 1st round Draft pick Chandler Hutchison has agreed to a multi-year shoe deal with Nike. pic.twitter.com/k3DlI7N6jR
As one of the new faces of Puma’s basketball brand, Bagley finds the parallels in elevating a shoe company and a franchise that have either been overlooked or ignored over the past decade. The lefty possesses a unique offensive repertoire and the confidence that he can handle what’s ahead. “It’s definitely something that I’ve been thinking about. It’s definitely a challenge, coming into something new, on and off the floor,” Bagley told Yahoo Sports. “I’m excited for it and I can’t wait to continue to grow and build.”
Eric Woodyard: So far, there isn’t any confirmation on Donovan Mitchell receiving an Adidas signature sneaker this season. However, a source did confirm to me that “good things are happening.”
Nick DePaula on Kawhi Leonard’s talks with Jordan Brand: “Kawhi’s deal is going to be expiring this fall. Here’s where things stand with Kawhi. Over the course of this last season, there was an extension offer that was made, as Ramona Shelburne and Michael C. Wright of ESPN first reported. This is pretty common because brands would rather offer an extension than have guys enter the summer and hear pitches from rival companies. In Kawhi’s case, the extension that was offered was four years and a little over $20 million. It was an incredibly fair deal, in my estimation. Obviously, Kawhi was a Finals MVP and he’s a great two-way player, but there are realities in terms of the San Antonio market and his marketability, so [his production] may not translate in terms of sales. There’s so much more that goes into selling shoes than just being a great player.”
Nick DePaula: “Kawhi’s team didn’t feel like that’s where his market was and they were looking at something in the range of $10-million-plus [per year], which is what a lot of the top signature guys get, like LeBron James, James Harden, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and even Derrick Rose, famously. Kawhi’s camp was looking at that double-digit range, but Jordan Brand was pretty much standing firm at $5-million-plus [per year]. Again, I think that’s a great offer. In Kawhi’s case, the thing that’s tough is that he’s tweeted just _four times_, the last of which went up three summers ago. He’s never had an Instagram page. His personality isn’t on display much at all. He’s not known for his entry-arena fashion, as a lot of guys are known for nowadays.”
Nick DePaula: “There are a lot of off-court dynamics that he hasn’t really built, so it’ll be interesting to see how they figure this out. He’ll likely take pitches from [companies] heading into August and we’ll see what happens. You look at a guy like Nick Young; I think a lot of brands would rather sign a guy like Nick Young than Kawhi! Obviously, on the court, it sounds crazy. But if you had to pick head-to-head, based on Nick’s social-media presence [and personality], I think you’d go with Nick at this point.”
Nick DePaula on Devin Booker’s sneaker free agency next fall: “There’s not really a can’t-miss, signature-level guy this fall. But next year, Devin Booker is a guy that every brand is already circling. That Phoenix team is going to be really, really intriguing on the floor with that core they’re starting to build and I think they may be able to become a ‘team of the future,’ sort of like how people viewed the Timberwolves and Thunder before. Book is a guy who, I think, checks every box in terms of what brands are looking for: off-court style, an exciting style of play on-court, an explosive scorer, a young guy. I think he could be the guy that a lot of brands are targeting next.”
Nick DePaula on Puma: “Behind the scenes, this has been in the works for [about] a year to a year-and-a-half, just from the standpoint of identifying players from the college ranks as well as physically building a shoe that guys will believe in and want to play in. When you look back at 1998, which is when they last launched a basketball shoe, they’d done a 10-year deal with Vince Carter at that time and it was for $50 million, which was a huge offer. But the sides parted ways after only two years and VC was the only guy they had signed, so they were pretty much stuck after he left.”
Nick DePaula on Puma: “I think the biggest thing for [Puma] with this recent resurgence is rather than just sign one guy and hope it works, they really wanted to have a balanced roster. They offered over six first-round picks $1 million each, and they ended up signing a really good group of guys. Part of [their long-term plan] is signing established guys who have been in the league already. Rookies are usually signed right around the draft, while established players’ deals usually expire in October. They aren’t _just_ trying to sign rookies, and it’s not like who they have now is who they’re going to have at the start of the season. They’re going to be aggressive in terms of signing established guys this fall as well and [they want] to get another two, three or four guys to balance out their roster. They’d like to enter the season with around 10 guys to launch the Clyde Court, which is going to be their new model for the fall.”
Nick DePaula on Giannis Antetokounmpo having a very unique shoe: “If you look at Kevin Durant’s Nike shoe, it’s really clean and simple, which is exactly what KD wants because he wants his shoe to mimic his style of play. When you look at what Nike is going to do for Giannis and you factor in how his game is so unique and how we’ve never seen someone do the things he does at his size and you consider that ‘The Greek Freak’ is his nickname, it gives Nike some room to come out with a shoe that is really funky and unique and different and kind of out there. I think they’re going to take a lot of chances with his shoe. He has this sort of hybrid, never-before-seen style on the court and I think they’re looking at his shoe to have the same kind of design language. I think people are really excited for the shoe. Giannis gives them the ability to play and really try some stuff. I think they’re going to take some risks on it and it’s going to be exciting.”
Nick DePaula on Giannis Antetokounmpo having a very unique shoe: “I think they’re going to put it at a nice price point too, under that $120 range. I think it’ll be pretty value-driven, which will help get some eyeballs on it as well, just like Paul George’s shoe was successful out the gate for that same reason.”
Joe Vardon: Collin Sexton signed an endorsement deal with Nike, a source said
B/R Kicks: Breaking: Roc Nation athlete @Rudy Gay has signed a shoe deal with Puma pic.twitter.com/bXB6FnAjdW
Nick DePaula: Rudy Gay just appeared at Puma’s New York event and was announced as the brand’s newest signing. Still more on the way...
Darren Rovell: JUST IN: Puma has signed Michael Porter Jr. Joins Ayton, Bagley III & Zhaire Smith in draft class.
Sole Collector: Adidas Basketball as announced its newest signings ahead of the 2018 NBA Draft: trib.al/g37aj75 pic.twitter.com/PboTuuTYum
Nick DePaula: Potential top 10 NBA Draft pick Lonnie Walker IV has agreed to a multi-year footwear & apparel endorsement deal with Adidas. ESPN’s @DraftExpress says the 6’5” high flyer “has as high of an upside as any guard in the 2018 Draft.”
Darren Rovell: The worst kept secret: Puma is back in basketball. Company signing their first endorser Walt Clyde Frazier to a lifetime deal. Releasing 73 limited editions pairs at place on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn today. New handle is @PUMAHoops.
Bleacher Report: It’s the question on everyone’s mind. Why Puma? Marvin Bagley III: I chose Puma because I wanted to be different. I saw an opportunity where I could come in and build from the jump and work to get to a certain level. I saw myself doing that. They have some real nice stuff. I’m very excited about it, and I can’t wait to get to know everybody, keep working with everybody and keep improving.
B/R: Why is it significant for you to get in on the ground level with Puma? Deandre Ayton: I don’t want to be under nobody else. If I’m over here trying to bring on my shoe, and you’ve got somebody like LeBron [James] out here, you got the [Kevin Durants] out there, I’m not trying to be really competing with those guys like that. It’s always good to start your own thing and try to be great in it.
B/R: What kind of legacy do you want to create within basketball and sneaker culture by creating your own lane and signing with Puma? Bagley: I think that’s big for me, personally. I love stuff like that—just being different, not being a follower and just being a leader any way I can. I remember when Lonzo and LaVar Ball first came out with Big Baller Brand and Lonzo’s shoe, then LaMelo’s shoe, everybody was bashing them for it and talking down on them for it. I kind of respected it, because it was different and it wasn’t what everybody was doing. They were trying to do something good for Lonzo and the rest of the family. I just think being different is a big thing for me, and that’s my motto. Be different. I had a vision, and I’m just trying to follow the vision and put as much as I can to it.
B/R: What can we expect from you and Puma? Is there a certain attitude or demeanor you want to display? Bagley: I want to show people that Puma is a big brand. It’s a stylish brand. I’ve seen a lot of different stuff, and I think that we can work together and create a lot of different things. Everybody throws ideas in, and we can create. I think that’s the main thing is to create and let people know that we’re serious about it, and everybody will eventually gravitate toward it. That’s the goal, to make sure everybody knows that we’re here and it’s going to be a long ride. It’s going to be a fun ride as well.
Oklahoma guard Trae Young is expected to sign an endorsement deal with Adidas that could be worth upwards of $1.8 million annually, multiple industry sources told ZAGSBLOG.
Ayton shares a homeland connection to two of its biggest ambassadors, Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt and pop star Rihanna, after growing up in the Caribbean. “Puma is pretty popular in the Bahamas,” said Ayton. “I’ve always seen the brand growing up. [Bolt] is one of the first people I saw with the brand. It’s important to me that someone I identify with and admire as an athlete is with the same brand.”
Michael Scotto: Deandre Ayton, the projected No. 1 pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, will be the highest paid player annually by a shoe brand in this draft class after signing a multi-year deal with Puma, a source told The Athletic. ESPN first reported the multi-year deal between Ayton and Puma.
Nick DePaula: As several top 2018 NBA Draft prospects sign their shoe deals this week — worth noting that Luka Doncic has 1 more year remaining on his existing Nike deal. He’ll look to establish himself with a strong rookie season and can sign a new shoe deal in Fall 2019.
Nick DePaula: Rising 1st round Draft prospect Zhaire Smith has agreed to a multi-year footwear & apparel deal with PUMA. The explosive wing measured a 41.5” vertical at the Combine, and ESPN’s @Jonathan Givony says Smith “could be the best athlete in the draft.”
Adam Zagoria: One industry source told ZAGSBLOG Bagley is expected to receive north of $2 million a year from Puma, which hasn’t featured an NBA player since Vince Carter 20 years ago.
Adam Zagoria: Puma “is intent on making basketball work,” industry source said. Sounds like Under Armour (and others) face a real threat.
Puma is also believed to be negotiating with several other high-profile prospects in an effort to make a big splash before the season starts. Carter signed a 10-year, $50 million contract with Puma after being chosen by Toronto in the 1998 draft, but the two sides split halfway through Carter’s second season. Hip-hop superstar Jay-Z and singer Rihanna are now on board with their own deals, making Puma a more attractive destination for youngsters than before.
Top NBA draft prospect Marvin Bagley III has signed a five-year footwear and apparel endorsement deal with Puma, ESPN has confirmed with multiple sources Thursday. As part of a plan to aggressively relaunch its basketball footwear business, Bagley was expected to be a featured athlete in several upcoming category and brand global initiatives.
Puma will also plan to sign additional rookies in the 2018 draft, before turning their sights toward signing several established players that have existing shoe deals expiring later this fall. The brand has found recent success and a resurgence in the marketplace thanks to partnerships with entertainment mogul Jay-Z, pop star Rihanna and several other endorsers in the lifestyle category.
It is the first NBA shoe deal for the brand since Puma had signed high-flyer Vince Carter two decades ago after the 1998 NBA draft. Carter’s 10-year, $50 million deal was short-lived, as the two sides parted ways during the middle of just his second season.
Jon Krawczynski: Marvin Bagley, projected to be one of the top picks in the NBA draft next week, is going to sign a five-year deal with Puma that is expected to be the largest rookie shoe deal since Kevin Durant, sources tell @TheAthletic
Former University of Louisville star Terry Rozier has yet to reach a deal with a shoe company after being dropped by Adidas in May 2017, said a source with knowledge of the situation who asked to not be named. Rozier wore Nike shoes without a sponsorship deal during the regular season and the Boston Celtics’ playoff run to the Eastern Conference finals.
This all might have caused some gnashing of teeth at Adidas, which terminated Rozier’s deal over his wearing another company’s shoes during a Celtics shootaround. In a letter dated May 26, 2017, Adidas notified Rozier that it was terminating his $300,000 deal.
The Big Baller Brand’s unveiling of LaMelo Ball’s “Melo Ball 1” shoe could turn out to be a game-changer in more ways than one. As LaVar Ball explained to a staffer at the Professional Basketball Combine in Florida—where LiAngelo Ball is due to audition on Wednesday—Melo becoming the first high-school kid with his own signature basketball shoe could spark NBA players, most of whom don’t have their own kicks, to seek out their own silhouettes. “Everybody gonna start going like this, ‘You know what? I want my own damn shoe,’” the Ballfather explained. “If I have Melo come out at 16 years old in high school with a shoe, I make all the NBA players look at Nike and Adidas and be like, ‘Where’s my signature shoe?’”
Rather than bide his time for Nike, Adidas or Under Armour to come calling with a contract, the Big Baller recommended that Wall put his own reputation and riches on the line to make a sneaker. “He’s an elite player and one of the best guards,” LaVar continued. “It’s like, ‘Dude, you’re a millionaire, make your own money’…Why are you waiting for Adidas or Nike or somebody to sign you to a shoe deal? The man’s an idiot.”
Nick DePaula: Great question. Luka actually has 1 more year on his existing Nike deal. Could work out great for him if he has a strong rookie year to be up for a new deal next year after establishing himself.
Sneaker companies targeting Trae Young
Once the dust settles from Tuesday’s draft lottery (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) and teams are slotted accordingly, Young and his group will listen to sneaker endorsement pitches from companies beginning next week in Los Angeles. Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and Puma are all expected to present, with Young already having developed a level of familiarity with each brand. The 6-foot-2 Oklahoma native hosted an Under Armour exec for a private workout last month before grabbing dinner with his family and the exec later that evening. The next day, Young worked out in front of Adidas reps. Nike’s sports marketing group checked out a workout as well.
Young and his parents, Ray and Candice, ultimately passed on Roc Nation, signing with Octagon Sports for his representation, but the Puma option is still very much on the table for the former Oklahoma guard who is widely considered the most marketable player in the NBA draft class of 2018. “There’s a magic to certain players. There’s an ‘it factor’ that’s hard to quantify, and I believe he has that,” said Omar Wilkes, one of the Octagon agents representing Young. “He’s able to have that with his combination of passing, shooting, ballhandling and charisma. There’s an effortless ease about him when he’s on the court.”
Adidas is expected to make Young a competitive offer, despite being in the process of revamping its basketball strategy in the aftermath of the ongoing FBI investigation into NCAA violations. The point guard is one of only five players Adidas is believed to be pitching on an endorsement deal, though the brand already features signature sneakers for three NBA point guards — James Harden, Damian Lillard and Derrick Rose — and recently re-signed John Wall.
Puma, the wild card in the mix, plans to present Young with a prototype of its upcoming fall basketball sneaker this week in advance of its official pitch. Then the Puma team will showcase its marketing plans, future product concepts, growth strategy and an overview of how the brand plans to re-engage in basketball. Puma has largely been removed from the NBA in this millennium, but has long been known for its history of wearable lifestyle products. More recently, a Rihanna-led women’s franchise has helped uplift the entire brand. “This is their first real foray back into basketball since 1998 with Vince Carter,” Wilkes said. “The possibility to be the seminal piece to re-establish that category for Puma is what’s enticing.”
That decision by Crawford to put real wear and tear on his $695 kicks will soon pay off in shipments of those shoes to sport for the Pelicans’ playoff run, with the potential for negotiations to continue over the summer. But as the 29-year-old Detroit native told HoopsHype.com‘s Alex Kennedy, his support for the Triple Bs is way bigger than basketball. “I see the vision. It’s a black-owned business and it’s entrepreneurship,” Crawford said. “It was smart that instead of signing on with someone else and letting that company use their likeness, LaVar just started a company of his own with his kids so they can use their own likenesses and take advantage of the opportunities. In this era, it’s like he’s taking people to business school without them having to sit in class, you know? It’s genius, for real.”
New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Crawford and his representation are in talks for a partnership deal with Big Baller Brand, sources told Yahoo Sports.
The company is expected to send Crawford new merchandise, including shoes, this week for the NBA playoffs. Crawford became the first NBA player — besides Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball — to wear the brand this season and has continued to do so in the postseason. At this point it isn’t a normal endorsement deal for Crawford, but he would sign a contract with Big Baller Brand down the line that would allow him to be under the brand yet have the freedom to pursue his own personal endeavors.
Crawford and the brand are expected to continue talks toward a deal, sources said. Big Baller Brand is an apparel company that was started by LaVar Ball and named for his sons, Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball.
Darius Bazley, who announced last month that he was forgoing his college eligibility to enter the upcoming NBA G League draft, could supplement his pro salary with endorsement deals, but has not begun that process yet, he tells ESPN “There’s no shoe deal I’m considering,” Bazley said. “I haven’t been contacted by anybody yet.”
While the draft likely won’t be held until October, Bazley could begin making money now with endorsement deals, but he remains focused on his on-court prospects. “If the opportunity does present itself and I do have an agent by [the G League season], then we’ll discuss things and try to get the best deal out of it for both sides,” he said. “I’m still working on things agent wise with my family.”
Kawhi Leonard leaving Jordan Brand?
San Antonio Spurs star forward Kawhi Leonard will likely be pondering a super max contract extension over the summer, but off the court, talks between he and Jordan Brand on a new shoe deal have stalled, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN.
Jordan Brand, a division of Nike, and Leonard’s representatives came “very close” to completion on a new four-year extension worth more than $20 million. But discussions broke down abruptly because representatives for Leonard didn’t feel that the new deal reflected the forward’s accomplishments and standing within the league, sources said.
It’s unclear whether Leonard intends to leave Jordan Brand when his contract expires on Oct. 1, but a source close to the situation said the shoe company owns the right to match any competing offers. Once the brand’s exclusive negotiating window closes in July, Leonard and his representatives can start fielding potential new offers from other companies. Pitches are typically held in late August and early September, as players historically look to resolve shoe deals before the start of training camp in late September. Jordan Brand would have 10 business days to match any competing offer sheet signed by the forward. There are no current talks between Jordan Brand and Leonard’s representatives, sources said.
Nick DePaula: Houston Rockets wing Gerald Green has agreed to a multi-year shoe deal with Adidas, worth six figures per year. Received multiple offers and deal was negotiated by @ISEworldwide. pic.twitter.com/vadDqwiVf4
Erik Horne: Paul George on Russell Westbrook Court: “It’s cool other than Under Armour. Other than Under Armour, it’s pretty nice.” George is a Nike guy. UCLA has an apparel deal with Under Armour.
Jay King: I asked Terry Rozier about the report Adidas terminated his shoe contract because he wore Nikes. “Sometimes your ex gets your number and they bring up your past,” he said.
No active player sells more of his signature shoes than LeBron James, who has been in the Nike stable since he entered the NBA in 2003. King James’ earns more than $30 million annually from Nike, and his lifetime deal with the Beaverton, Oregon shoe giant could eventually net him more than $1 billion, according to his business manager Maverick Carter. James is the NBA’s highest-paid player for the fourth straight year at $85.3 million, including $52 million off the court from endorsements and royalties (Kobe Bryant was the last player to out-earn James).
Stephen Curry ranks second with earnings of $76.7 million. The two-time MVP signed the NBA’s first $200 million contract last summer. The five-year deal guarantees $201 million from the Warriors. Curry’s salary nearly tripled this season and is tops in the NBA for the first time. His endorsement partners include Under Armour, Chase, Vivo, eHi, Nissan/Infiniti, Brita, Bubble and JBL and will generate an estimated $42 million in off-court income for Curry.
Kevin Garnett is returning to AND1 for the first time since 2003. He’ll serve as AND1’s Global Ambassador as the brand gets ready to celebrate its 25th anniversary, about 15 years after he had two signature sneakers with AND1. “I’m thrilled to get back to my roots and partner with AND1, one of the best basketball brands in the industry,” KG said, via press release. “We have many initiatives underway that we’ll be launching, including my new capsule collection, which I’m particularly excited about.”
In early January, though, Wall announced that he was reuniting with Adidas. According to documents obtained by SI, Wall’s deal calls for him to be paid, in principle, a base of $4.825 million in 2017-2018; which then increases marginally and returns to $4.825 million in 2021-22. (While Wall will not have a signature shoe with Adidas, this deal permits him to collaborate on footwear with fellow clients like Kanye West and Pharrell, a likelihood, his representatives tell SI.)
Another significant term of the agreement pertains to Wall’s health. Under most footwear and apparel contracts, athletes face reductions and pro-rations when they are injured and unable to perform. But thanks to a bit of savvy by Wall’s representatives (or a curious concession by Adidas), Wall is subject to no reductions or pro-rations for the first two years. Not until 2019-2020, must he play a minimum of 60 games to avoid pro-ration. Wall’s new Adidas deal was announced on Jan. 7. On Jan. 30, Wall announced that he would undergo surgery on his left knee—described as a “clean up”—that would sideline him until March, causing him to miss up to 20 games, as well as All-Star festivities. (Through his agent, Rich Paul, Wall declined comment. Adidas also declined comment, citing the contract’s confidentiality provision.)
Rose’s agents were aggressively renegotiating his deal with Adidas, and during All-Star weekend Rose re-signed, consecrating one of the most lucrative endorsement contracts (reported to be worth $185 million over 14 years) in the history of sports. Recently SI obtained his 40-page contract with Adidas, and the document shows just how far shoe companies are willing to go to accommodate an athlete. The deal called for annual retainers of $12 million per season from 2012–13 until ’16–17. (This season, he is entitled to $11 million.) It also included annual royalties of up to $6.25 million per year, as much as $4.8 million in annual appearance fees and use of a private plane. (For comparison, SI has learned that John Wall’s new Adidas deal calls for him to be a paid a base salary of $4 million). Reggie Rose, Derrick’s older brother, is paid between $250,000 and $300,000 annually as a consultant. Randall Hampton, Rose’s best friend since sixth grade and his assistant, is paid between $50,000 and $75,000 annually for “consulting” services. Adidas also pledged to contribute $150,000 annually to the AAU team of Rose’s choice.
Like most endorsement contracts, Rose’s calls for reductions and pro-rations. In this case, if Rose fails to make the All-Star team (as he has every year since 2012) or misses more than half the 82 regular-season games (as he did in ’12–13 and ’13–14 and is on pace to do this season), he can be docked pay. But unlike most contracts, Rose’s has clauses nullifying said deductions if he makes various promotional appearances.
Adidas’s treatment of Rose is especially perplexing given how closely the company has held other players to the letter of their contracts. On Jan. 18, 2016, Celtics guard Terry Rozier signed a deal that, according to documents provided to SI, guaranteed him $300,000 over three seasons. During the 2017 Eastern Conference finals, Rozier wore Nikes during a pregame shootaround. He changed into Adidas shoes for the game, but his public appearance in a rival brand did not escape notice. In a letter delivered by FedEx last May 26, Adidas’s legal counsel Monique Hawthorne notified Rozier, “Adidas is terminating your Agreement effective immediately.” (According to Rozier’s representatives, they plan to arbitrate Adidas’s decision.)
Derrick Rose’s agents were aggressively renegotiating his deal with Adidas, and during All-Star weekend Rose re-signed, consecrating one of the most lucrative endorsement contracts (reported to be worth $185 million over 14 years) in the history of sports. Recently SI obtained his 40-page contract with Adidas, and the document shows just how far shoe companies are willing to go to accommodate an athlete. The deal called for annual retainers of $12 million per season from 2012–13 until ’16–17. (This season, he is entitled to $11 million.) It also included annual royalties of up to $6.25 million per year, as much as $4.8 million in annual appearance fees and use of a private plane.
Adidas’s treatment of Derrick Rose is especially perplexing given how closely the company has held other players to the letter of their contracts. On Jan. 18, 2016, Celtics guard Terry Rozier signed a deal that, according to documents provided to SI, guaranteed him $300,000 over three seasons. During the 2017 Eastern Conference finals, Rozier wore Nikes during a pregame shootaround. He changed into Adidas shoes for the game, but his public appearance in a rival brand did not escape notice. In a letter delivered by FedEx last May 26, Adidas’s legal counsel Monique Hawthorne notified Rozier, “Adidas is terminating your Agreement effective immediately.” (According to Rozier’s representatives, they plan to arbitrate Adidas’s decision.)
Chase Hughes: John Wall said there could be John Wall 3s coming out as part of his new contract with Adidas, but he believes he will need to play his way into that.
After playing the past two seasons without a sneaker endorsement deal, Washington Wizards point guard John Wall has signed a new five-year shoe deal with Adidas, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday. Terms of the deal, which was first reported by Yahoo Sports, haven’t been disclosed, though Wall is expected to re-emerge with the brand as a headlining athlete for several of its new modernized lifestyle basketball silhouettes.
The four-time NBA All-Star returns to Adidas after a hiatus that saw him leave the company in late 2015 amid stalling extension talks. Shortly before being selected No. 1 in the 2010 NBA draft, Wall signed a five-year endorsement deal with Reebok that paid him a base salary of $2.5 million per year but could have ballooned to as high as $25 million in total through a variety of performance and sales incentives.
Shams Charania: Sources: Washington Wizards All-Star John Wall has agreed to a five-year endorsement deal with Adidas. Wall returns to the brand after testing shoe free agency over the past couple years.
Bad news for the Big Baller Brand … at least one of Lonzo’s Lakers’ teammates says he won’t be playing in the new ZO2s. We spoke with Julius Randle outside Mastro’s Steakhouse in Beverly Hills — when he told us he’s got a deal with Nike … and he ain’t about to mess that up.
He is a spokesman for chocolate milk and an obscure — in the U.S. anyway — Chinese shoe company. He signed an $80 million, 10-year extension to wear the sneakers. “Life’s good,” Thompson said. “I never thought I’d get paid millions of dollars to wear shoes and apparel. I’m very proud to be a part of Anta. … It’s so cool that I’m big in China. I never thought I’d be on billboards and posters in China.”
September 22, 2018 | 3:29 am EDT Update
One league source pushed back at the notion that Thibodeau would flat-out refuse to trade Butler, telling the Star Tribune that Thibodeau would be willing to make a deal if he thinks the deal is fair.
Irving said he’s aware that he’s been linked to Jimmy Butler in persistent free-agent rumors regarding a mutual desire to play together in New York, but he said he’s had no such discussions with Butler. In fact, he said, the last time he talked to Butler at length was when they were both playing with USA Basketball, and the two engaged in a spitballing session along with Durant and Cousins about what the future held for each of them. “And that,” Irving laughed, “was in 2016.”
Briante Weber: Man I just want a fair shot no politics nothing just give me a chance to be myself man Tired of being treated like a scrub #NewBeginning
Eddie Sefko: Dirk Nowitzki on coming off the bench: “I spent most of my time playing five because of movement issues, we call it. When we signed DeAndre, it was pretty much clear in my head that I would come off the bench.”
Q. How does Anthony fit offensively? Daryl Morey: That I think is easy. Two things are happening. Shooting has become more important and he’s always been a plus shooter. With all the switching that happens, people that can score one-on-one in isolation are very important and Carmelo has been one of the best in the league at that. We feel like we have three of the best one-on-one, isolation scorers in the league in Chris (Paul), James (Harden) and Carmelo which is an asset not many teams have.”
Do you have any read on where DeMarcus is health-wise right now? I know he won’t be ready for the start of camp next week, but how much do you think he’ll be able to do, how much will be around the practice portions? Steve Kerr: Well, he’s been around the last few weeks. He rehabbed in Las Vegas over the summer, but he’s been here (in the Bay Area) the last few weeks, settling into his new home and new life. He’s on the court every day working. He’s so skilled. He’s got such great hands, shoots the ball so well, fantastic passer. He’s been working on all that stuff. So he’ll do as much as he can during camp and that will be decided by our training staff, headed by Rick Celebrini and Drew Yoder. We’ll confer with them every day.
