With over $25 billion in combined athletic footwear revenue last year it’s no surprise that Nike, Under Armour and Adidas are always on the lookout for the next big athlete to represent their brand. NBA players such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose and many others have made millions of dollars because of the success of their signature shoe lines and many young basketball players dream of following in their footsteps. What might surprise you though is the next big signature athlete may still be in high school and his name is Isaiah Briscoe.
If you haven’t heard of him yet, Isaiah Briscoe is a 6-3 senior guard from Roselle Catholic High School in New Jersey and will be attending Kentucky University in the fall to play for Coach Calipari. In his senior season, Isaiah led the Lions to a 28-4 record, their third straight state championship, and was named the New Jersey Player of the Year along with several other on the court awards. Isaiah Briscoe has also set himself up to be a future marketing giant for sneaker companies.
- He plays the right position. Out of the eleven NBA players that currently have sneaker deals in the United States eight are guards and when you include point-forwards LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Kevin Durant all eleven have the ball in their hands for a majority of their team’s possessions. Not only does Isaiah play point guard but he does it with mesmerizing handles and flashy play which is great for attracting a rabid fan base! It also doesn’t hurt that his cousin and mentor, Kyrie Irving, is a signature athlete with Nike and released his first sneaker this year.
- He’s box office. About a month ago, Isaiah played in the Jordan Brand Classic and had the entire Barclay’s Center audience on their feet for the last five minutes of the game. Each possession, his teammates would allow him to go isolation as the crowd was glued to his every move. Having the ball in his hands in crucial moments of the game combined with the fact that he’s not afraid to take the last shot puts himself and the companies he represents in a great position to be noticed as everyone will be tuned in to watch these high intensity moments!
- He has a strong fan base already. His flashy handles and endless highlight plays make for great mix-tapes and as a result Isaiah is one of the most recognized high school players of the class of 2015. Although ESPN has him 13th in their Top 100 rankings, he always receives the loudest ovation whenever his name is announced at any basketball event as fans love to come and watch him play! Isaiah has built a strong fan base who want to replicate his play on the court, emulate his confident demeanor, and follow in his footsteps! Luckily for sneaker companies, his following will only grow bigger as he plays next season on one of the most watched teams in college basketball and is on a path that seems destined to the NBA.
Isaiah Briscoe has a very bright future ahead of him but nothing is set in stone. He has enjoyed tremendous success playing high school basketball but he must now prove himself on the collegiate level. Secondly, he must keep up the hard work and not only make the NBA but become a valuable player to his team. Last but not least, he has to stay healthy, avoid injuries and stay out of trouble because there’s nothing worse than a talented player who never had their chance to shine. We can only wait and see but for now Isaiah Briscoe has what every sneaker company wants out of a future signature athlete…our attention.
