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Since then, more players have joined Team Puma, but two names in particular stand out: LaMelo Ball and Kyle Kuzuma. Since the 2018 NBA Draft, Puma’s acquisitions and endorsements in the league showed no signs of slowing down.
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Who were the first NBA Players to sign with Puma? This was reportedly the largest rookie shoe deal given to any basketball player since Kevin Durrant signed his seven-year, $60million dollar deal with Nike back in 2007. What made this partnership even more impressive for Puma and their play in the NBA was Bagley’s close connection with Nike throughout his high school and collegiate career after Nike funded his father’s AAU summer basketball team – somewhat of a coup for Puma. The 19-year-old Bahamian star celebrated the deal alongside the legendary New York Knicks star Walt “Clyde” Frazier, the man behind Puma’s iconic 1973 Clyde sneaker.Īlongside the deal with Ayton, Marvin Bagley signed a five-year deal rumoured to be worth $2-3 million dollars per year. The biggest shock of all of these was DeAndre Ayton, the 2018 number one pick, who signed a non-disclosed multi-million-dollar four-year deal with the brand. The five drafts signed by Puma that year came in the form of DeAndre Ayton (Phoenix Suns), Marvin Bagley (Sacramento Kings), Kevin Knox (New York Knicks), Michael Porter Jr (Denver Nuggets), and Zhaire Smith (Philadelphia 76ers) all on multi-year deals. Before 2018, Nike had signed 11 of the number one picks since 2001, with Adidas netting four.īut 2018 is when things changed. Securing five of the top 16 picks in the 2018 drafts is significant, especially when you consider the fact that both Nike and Adidas had dominated the draft with endorsement deals. Since that announcement, Puma has splashed the cash landing some of the hottest up-and-coming talents in the NBA. The legendary rapper and producer was charged with leading creative projects and marketing efforts across the brand’s basketball investments, as well as a hands-on role in assisting with talent-spotting of players to joint he brand.
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Ahead of the 2018 NBA Draft, Puma announced none other than Jay-Z as their Creative Director of Basketball Operations. The complete list of NBA players signed by Puma is below: NBA Players Signed with PumaĪs part of Puma’s moves into basketball and the NBA, before announcing any current players, they announced one that one the biggest stars on the planet was joining their ranks. Barrett, Demarcus Cousins, Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr., Michael Porter Jr., Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart. Pumas roster is rounded out by the likes of Deandre Ayton, R.J. Which current NBA stars have signed deals with Puma? The most notable NBA star signed with Puma is Lamelo Ball, the 2021 Rookie of the year has a signature shoe deal with the German brand.
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Not good for brand reputation, especially as they didn’t yet have a strong presence in North America.Īfter the best part of twenty years and the likes of Adidas and Nike sweeping up across the NBA, Puma re-launched itself in the NBA ahead of the 2018 NBA Draft signing 5 of the top 16 picks. The brand’s reputation in the sport took a major hit when it signed a 10-year deal with Vince Carter back in 1998 only for Carter to end the deal after a year and a half citing that the shoes hurt his feet. Until recently, Puma’s name had not been part of the NBA. As part of this, the German brand has worked with some of the biggest names in world sports with key ambassadors including the legendary Usain Bolt, top-draw international soccer players such as Sergio Aguero, Neymar, Antoine Griezmann, and Cesc Fabregas, PGA Tour winner Rickie Fowler, and the now seven-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton. Puma’s name has been synonymous with major sporting events for many years.