When you think of the big names from the 2021 NBA Draft class, chances are Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, and Evan Mobley, among others, come to mind. In the scope of social media, staying par with those names also bodes fairly well. In the shoe game, however, the appeal for players ranges worldwide, leading to a multitude of players earning deals.
As of last week, Josh Giddey is now one of them.
As first reported by ESPN’s Nick DePaula, Josh Giddey has signed a shoe endorsement deal with Nike. Giddey’s deal will span over multiple years, however, both figures and concrete length on the deal has yet to be released.
As the sixth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Giddey joins seven other members in the top 15 to sign with Nike alongside Cade Cunningham (No. 1), Scottie Barnes (No. 4), Jonathan Kuminga (No. 7), James Bouknight (No. 11), Chris Duarte (No. 13), Moses Moody (No. 14), and Corey Kispert (No. 15).
Unlike most prospects in his class, Giddey possesses a far more extensive outreach than most. As a Melbourne native, Giddey has made a name for himself in Australia throughout his play for his time in the NBA Academy, his rookie campaign with the Adelaide 36ers, and his time with the Australian national team in the Summer Olympics, among other accolades.
With Giddey’s signing, he joins fellow Aussie guards Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle in their affiliation with Nike while Olympic flag bearer Patty Mills represents Under Armour.
Within the Thunder organization, Giddey adds to a hodgepodge of shoe brands amidst the locker room sharing the floor with New Balance signee Darius Bazley, and Converse commit Shai-Gilgeous Alexander.