Gay was at a Puma pop-up store in Brooklyn for the announcement of the new Clyde Court sneakerJARREL HARRIS
Michael Porter Jr. has become the latest top NBA Draft prospect that has "signed a multi-year shoe deal" with Puma, according to ESPN's Nike DePaula. Porter joins other projected lottery picks Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III and Zhaire Smith as signing with Puma, marking one of the "most aggressive pushes" the basketball industry has seen. Additionally, Spurs F Rudy Gay last night was also "announced as the brand's newest signing," and there could be "more on the way" (TWITTER.com, 6/20). ESPN.com's Darren Rovell noted Puma last night unveiled its new sneaker, the Clyde Court, which will be worn by the "big-name NBA rookies Puma has signed and will be the model that will first be sold to the public in October." Ayton, Bagley and Gay "appeared at a Puma pop-up store in Brooklyn" for the announcement. Puma Global Dir of Brand & Marketing Adam Petrick said, "We've been trying to figure out for a while when and where to enter the market. As the basketball market softened up a bit, we saw that as an opportunity." Petrick said that there was "no question that basketball was the move to drive the brand to more relevance in the United States." He added, "We had Usain Bolt, but track and field is never going to be dominant here. We tried football with Jadeveon Clowney, Julian Edelman and Jamaal Charles, but we never made cleats. Basketball was perfect because of what it offered in terms of culture, music, style, gaming and Twitter" (ESPN.com, 6/20).
BOLT EFFECT: Ayton said of his signing with Puma, "Growing up, my mom is Jamaican, and we watched a lot of track and field so the Bahamas are big with track and field with our athletes and it's sponsored by Puma. Usain Bolt is also sponsored by Puma, so it's a global brand. ... I grew up around Puma, it's the best fit and me being international is just a huge opportunity to be different from everyone else and really start my own legacy." ESPN's Kevin Negandhi said after a "quiet 20 years, Puma's having a big week" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 6/20).But ESPN's Dan Dakich said of Bagley and Ayton signing with Puma, "That makes a big splash, but the truth of the matter is shoes don't get bought of big guys. Hakeem Olajuwon had an Etonic contract back in the day for crying out loud" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 6/21).
UPHILL BATTLE: The Undefeated's Aaron Dodson noted it has been 20 years since Puma has "been in the basketball market with Vince Carter." Dodson: "But at the time when Vince was with Puma, they sold his shoe and it was the biggest shoe that the brand had ever sold. Hopefully, they can tap into that with Deandre Ayton, Zhaire Smith and Marvin Bagley III. We will see once they start releasing their product under the mind of Jay-Z and these bright, young, talented athletes” (“OTL,” ESPN, 6/20).
