Leonard's partnership with New Balance has formed the foundation of the brand's return to basketballNEW BALANCE
No other North American pro sport is as "closely intertwined with the footwear industry as the NBA," and the "various permutations of the relationships between player and shoe company are on display in the Raptors locker room," according to Morgan Campbell of the HAMILTON SPECTATOR. Raptors G Danny Green is a "featured performer among Puma's roster of NBA players," and F Kawhi Leonard's contract with New Balance "forms the foundation of that brand's return to basketball." Green coordinates with Puma to "sync his in-game footwear with retail releases of new designs," making his on-court presence an "important element of Puma's basketball marketing." Meanwhile, for New Balance, carving out a "share of a competitive basketball shoe market depends heavily on Leonard, who figures prominently" in the brand's social-media marketing. Leonard also "collaborates with corporate headquarters about the best way to leverage his starring role" to drive interest. New Balance Global Dir of Consumer Marketing Patrick Cassidy said of Leonard, "He's incredibly ingrained in everything we're doing. ... It's co-authored with Kawhi. We want his input. We want him to help build this business, and he wants to do it" (HAMILTON SPECTATOR, 3/10).
