Puma hasn’t had the greatest run in the NBA so far since returning to the court in 2017.
They started off with a bang — they signed Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley to deals to announce their return. Signing the first two picks in an NBA draft is a coup — that’s normally territory reserved for Nike. But Puma did it.
Since then? Crickets. They’ve built up a roster of respectable players — names like Marcus Smart, Rudy Gay, RJ Barrett and Danny Green are along for the ride.
But no one has broken through just yet. They don’t have a star, and that’s what every sneaker brand in the NBA needs to achieve the maximum amount of success. A superstar.
And that’s why it’s imperative that they get this LaMelo Ball deal done, as reported.
Ball is on the verge of finalizing a deal with Puma, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Details aren’t yet available on the deal, but it seems to be close.
Projected top NBA pick LaMelo Ball is finalizing an endorsement deal with Puma, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 26, 2020
Ball is exactly the jolt that Puma needs. He’s coming in with a foundation that has already been built out. He immediately becomes Puma’s headliner. He’s their signature athlete.
They’re starving for a good basketball player. They need a face. Nike has LeBron James. Adidas has James Harden. Under Armour has Stephen Curry. Even New Balance has Kawhi Leonard.
Puma has… J Cole? He’s the only Puma signee with a signature basketball shoe right now. A rapper is currently their only signature athlete.
And, look, J Cole is cool. That’s totally fine. They should build something around J Cole — he’s a great entertainer. And sneaker franchise can be built around entertainers. Just look at Nike and Travis Scott or Yeezy with Kanye West.
But those two are used to push lifestyle and fashion for their companies. J Cole literally has a signature shoe NBA players play in. He’s their signature athlete on the court. That should never be the case.
LaMelo Ball could change that immediately. He finally gives them the face in the NBA. He’s already had a signature shoe — albeit a failed one. But he’s got a team that knows the ropes a bit. Puma hasn’t had anything close to that.
It might mean giving him a signature shoe from the jump, but they need to land Ball. It might mean partnering with Big Baller Brand in some capacity. It might mean giving LaVar Ball some type of title at the company.
But if that’s what has to be done to land LaMelo as a potential top pick, Puma has to do it. It’s an opportunity they can’t really afford to miss.
Unless, of course, the Pistons actually sign J Cole. Then all bets are off.
[jwplayer YY1j7Uqv-q2aasYxh]