The NBA regular season tips off tonight, with a pair of games featuring some of basketball’s brightest stars. And some of the ballers who will hit the court got new sneaker deals in the offseason and preseason.
With meaningful game action here, FN rounded up four of the sport’s best players who will lace up different brands than they have in the past for the 2018-19 season.
Joel Embiid
Arguably the foremost star to land a new sneaker deal is the big man from the Philadelphia 76ers. Embiid, who formerly laced up Adidas, is now a part of Under Armour’s ambassador roster. The brand announced the multiyear deal last week. (The baller will take the court tonight when his 76ers face the Boston Celtics. Game time is set for 8 p.m. ET.)
Gordon Hayward
Watch on FN
The Celtics baller, who missed all of last season with an injury, laced up Nike throughout his career, but he will now wear Anta on the court. Hayward announced via Instagram yesterday that he has joined the China-based athletic brand.
Terry Rozier
Although Rozier doesn’t have the star power of Embiid or Hayward, he proved to be valuable to the Celtics during the 2018 NBA Playoffs, helping the team get to the Eastern Conference Finals. He also won fans over with his charismatic personality in the postseason (which was on full display while feuding with Eric Bledsoe of the Milwaukee Bucks). All of this led him to securing a deal with Puma, a brand aggressively trying to make an impact in the sport.
Deandre Ayton
Ayton is a rookie and won’t make his regular season debut until tomorrow, but he has all the makings of a star on the court. Knowing this, Puma picked him up quickly ahead of the 2018 NBA Draft. Now the eyes of hoops fans worldwide will get to see Formstripe branding on the feet of the Phoenix Suns center.
Want more?
Puma Nabs Basketball’s Projected No.1 Draft Pick Deandre Ayton With Multimillion-Dollar Deal
NBA Star Gordon Hayward Signs With Anta, Announces Release of His ‘GH’ Signature Sneaker
NBA Star Joel Embiid Signs With Under Armour and Promises His Deal Is ‘Bigger Than Basketball’
