Knicks F Kristaps Porzingis said that his shoe deal with adidas “is not finalized,” as his current shoe endorser, Nike, “still has a chance to match,” according to Stefan Bondy of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Either way, Porzingis is in line to get a “huge bump in income” from his new shoe contract with addias, reportedly worth $3-6M annually. He said, “I wasn’t really focused on getting a big (sneaker) deal during the summer, but that’s how it worked and I’m happy they see me as a European player who can not only be a player but have some effect off the court.” Porzingis, noting it would be the highest-paying shoe deal for a European player, added, “That doesn’t mean I’m a better player than Dirk Nowitzki, they just see me as somebody that’s good off the court, see me with kids and that kind of stuff. And they see that potential in me that one day I can be that good. It’s in my hands now to prove that I am what they believe I can be.” Porzingis said that the offer from adidas may “lead to him having his own signature sneaker.” He said, “I still have to become bigger. But I think that’s one of the things they see in me as one of those type of players in the future and that’s what I loved about it” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/9).
