Today is the day. Draft day. For 60 of the world’s brightest young stars, this is the night that will change their lives forever. The NBA provides its family with countless opportunities and resources. Whether it be an outlet to channel your voice or something as simple as financial stability, incoming rookies have much to look forward to. Every player has different upbringings and their own story to tell. From making a name for yourself and starting fresh to building onto a legacy, every one of these kids has the same dream in mind. They want to play the game they live and breath, but also make a whole lot of money doing it. I’m not talking about the pay their rookie contracts will bring either. These young guns are making bank straight out the gate when they sign their first shoe deal and with the power of social media it’s become much more prevalent what brand these athletes will be sporting. Regardless their choice of brand, these talented teens are going to have a much more impressive bank account than they did just months ago and that’s a guarantee.
Marvin Bagley III: Puma
Nothing I can say about Marvin Bagley III’s shoe deal with Puma will do as much justice as an article already written by one of our very own. Check out PJ Guippone’s article below if you want to hear the juicy details.
http://www.studentunionsports.com/college-basketball/marvin-bagley-is-my-new-favorite-player/pguippone
DeAndre Ayton: Puma
This former Arizona Wildcat is a current favorite to go #1 overall and has continuously showed us his intelligence on and off the court. The Puma brand has decided to give the NBA another chance at business and I believe it was a wise decision by Ayton to take advantage of the opportunity. It’s a very low-risk, high-reward situation. Worst case: Puma doesn’t experience future success in the league, but Ayton still gets paid BIG TIME. Best case: Puma blows up in the basketball world and Ayton becomes one of the figureheads who brought it to fame in the NBA. Either way… He wins.
Michael Porter Jr: Puma
I know what you’re thinking and no not every top prospect is rolling with Puma. MPJ was in an interesting situation coming into the draft. He has been on the bad end of some significant injuries and surgeries. Out of high school, many scouts projected him as the #1 overall pick and a future NBA All-Star because of his offensive skillset and length. Although reports still have him going in the lottery, his stock has slid downward as a result of injury concerns and a very small sample size. With all that being said, his sponsorship opportunities don’t seem to be affected as he joined the likes DeAndre Ayton and Marvin Bagley III on a buzzing Puma lineup.
Trae Young and Lonnie Walker IV: Adidas
JUST IN: Adidas has signed Trae Young and Lonnie Walker IV.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) June 19, 2018
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
These two gifted guards must have heard what Kanye said and decided to sign with the “Three Stripes” instead of the “Dri-fit”. Although they aren’t mentioned in the conversation as top 3 picks, Walker and Young are both reaping in the benefits of an explosive freshman campaign. They’ve each gained their clout in very different ways. As anyone who watches college basketball would tell you, Trae Young jumped onto the scene early in this single season at Oklahoma with ridiculous range and productivity. Meanwhile, Walker’s claim to fame was much more gradual and recent. Some think it is the haircut, but he’s gained a lot of momentum during the draft process from his athletic build, freakish athletic ability, and sheer potential. No matter how they got to this point, these newly added Adidas athletes joined an impressive crew with guys like James Harden and Damian Lillard. It might not come as much of a shock as those who sign with Puma, but I promise you they’ll still get “straight cash homey”.