New York Knicks rookie Kevin Knox was the darling of the 2018 NBA Las Vegas Summer League. And while Knox and the Knicks didn’t win the championship -- that honor went to the Portland Trail Blazers -- the performance of the former Kentucky Wildcat perhaps gave some hope to New York fans for a brighter future.
It also appears that some companies have taken note of Knox as well. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Knox is the latest target of Puma brand.
The long-dormant shoe company has made a return to basketball for the upcoming NBA season, notably signing Deandre Ayton, Terry Rozier, Marvin Bagley III, Michael Porter Jr., and Zhaire Smith. Knox was seen wearing a Puma shirt this week.
Via Twitter:
New York Knicks rookie Kevin Knox — the No. 9 overall pick in June — has signed a multiyear endorsement deal with Puma, sources say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 5, 2018
Nice shirt, @KevKnox 👋 👀 pic.twitter.com/R57Lyru335
— PUMA Basketball (@PUMAHoops) September 4, 2018
Puma has seen a bit of a sea change in 2018, with its parent company divesting itself of a large portion of its controlling interest as of this June. The move is supposed to give Puma more direct control, and moving forward with a basketball division seems in line with that strategy.
Under Armour and Adidas have been battling for market share against Nike over the past couple of years, and perhaps Puma sees a chance to grab some of that pie. Betting on some of these young players is a reasonable strategy for Puma, as rookies will no doubt be cheaper for the company than established veterans. At the same time, mid-level rookies will receive more money than they would from Puma than the more recognizable basketball apparel stalwarts.
Now we just need to wait and see how Puma develops lines for their basketball side of business.