With Zach LaVine currently sidelined while recovering from a torn ACL, the explosive combo guard is expected to be the face of the Chicago Bulls upon his return hopefully sometime within the next month or two. Along with the Bulls, LaVine also now has the opportunity to be the face of another marquee franchise in the near future.
According to ESPN’s Nick DePaula, LaVine has inked a 4-year shoe deal with Adidas that could pay him up to $35 million:
After receiving strong interest from several footwear brands, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine has agreed to terms with Adidas on a four-year endorsement deal that could be worth as much as $35 million, industry sources told ESPN on Thursday.
This is quite the step in LaVine’s career as a lot is changing for the 22-year-old high flyer. He was just traded this past summer as an integral part of the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Now, he will have to adjust to wearing Adidas after almost exclusively wearing Nike through his first 3 years.
Adidas has become a brand exploding more and more in recent years as more marquee stars join the company highlighted by James Harden, Damian Lillard, Kristaps Porzingis, and Andrew Wiggins. Adidas also has a very bright future in the sneaker world with its next generation of basketball athletes now with LaVine secured along with other young prospects such as Brandon Ingram and Kelly Oubre Jr.
LaVine’s contract will reward him based on his play with extra incentives thrown in for All-Star appearances and other accolades. With the current deal in place, LaVine will also become a sneaker free agent again at age 26 heading into his prime, giving him the freedom to switch over if he so wishes.
LaVine averaged an impressive 18.9 points to go along with 3.4 rebounds and 3 assists per contest last year for the Timberwolves before the torn ACL cut his season short. Expect him to spearhead the offensive attack on a struggling Bulls team once he returns to full health.
