De’Aaron Fox is steadily climbing up draft boards ahead of the 2017 NBA Draft. The Los Angeles Lakers hold the second pick in the draft and they’re bringing him in for a workout with hopes to put him up against fellow top point guard prospect Lonzo Ball in a one-on-one matchup. Fox’s stock is rising and NBA teams aren’t the only ones noticing.
De’Aaron Fox is the first projected lottery pick to formally sign with a sneaker brand, excluding Lonzo Ball and his own family company. Fox will join the Nike brand as the shoe company he will rep to start his career. The Kentucky point guard joins fellow young NBA stars in Ben Simmons and D’Angelo Russell with Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving heading the top of the active Nike NBA players list.
Following from Nick DePaula of The Vertical.
Lottery pick De'Aaron Fox has agreed to a multi-year shoe deal with Nike, sources tell @TheVertical. The UK PG was a top target for brands. pic.twitter.com/6MwbbNuMmh
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) May 31, 2017
It’s unclear how much and how long Fox signed for but getting with Nike early on and avoiding a bidding war is great. Plus, this is a strong sign for Fox’s potential stock. Nike sees his brand as a strong one no matter where he lands in the 2017 NBA Draft. Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento or Orlando could snag him and Nike has a sense that he will make them some money.
