Nike is one of the biggest sports footwear/apparel brands in the world, with many prominent athletes such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis signed with the company. Recently, Nike has enticed one of the top picks in the 2021 NBA Draft to sign an endorsement deal with them.
Nick DePaula of ESPN has recently revealed that Toronto Raptors No. 4 overall pick Scottie Barnes has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Nike. It definitely seems like a great move to start off Barnes’ career.
BREAKING: Toronto Raptors #4 pick Scottie Barnes has signed a multi-year footwear & apparel endorsement deal with Nike. ✍️ pic.twitter.com/fePjLrY4XL
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) August 20, 2021
Per Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire, Scottie Barnes will join fellow Nike rookie players Cade Cunningham, Jonathan Kuminga, and Chris Duarte in representing Nike’s new “Greater Than” series. It definitely seems fitting to let fresh rookies be the faces of a brand new shoe series.
Barnes joins fellow first-round picks Cade Cunningham, Jonathan Kuminga and Chris Duarte to sign with Nike this year. They join a star-studded roster of athletes, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Paul George among others.
The crop of Nike rookie players this year are expected to help Nike usher in their new “Greater Than” series, wearing player-exclusive models like the GT Cut, GT Run and GT Jump on the court. It is estimated that 68% of NBA players wear Nike on the court.
Kevin Love debuts the new Nike GT Run at USAB practice. pic.twitter.com/jhGgDxMejE
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) July 8, 2021
Nike Zoom GT Cut pic.twitter.com/m6HWNEPtSI
— BYZZ KICKS (@byzzkicks) June 20, 2021
Scottie Barnes just had a solid Summer League, putting up averages of 15.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, and 2.0 BPG. During that time, he showed some of the defensive versatility and all-around game that he was known for during his time in college. The Toronto Raptors missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 season this year, and it looks as though they are starting to rebuild around young talent. Hopefully, Scottie Barnes will be able to help them turn the franchise around and be part of the team becoming competitive once again.
