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Marvin Bagley III might need a few things as he transitions to the NBA, but sneakers do not appear to be one of them.
The former Duke standout and projected top-5 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft is expected to sign a five-year deal with Puma, according to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski. The contract is expected to be the largest rookie shoe deal since Kevin Durant signed a seven-year, $60 million contract with a $12 million signing bonus with Nike in 2007.
Marvin Bagley, projected to be one of the top picks in the NBA draft next week, is going to sign a five-year deal with Puma that is expected to be the largest rookie shoe deal since Kevin Durant, sources tell @TheAthletic
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) June 14, 2018
Bagley is set to become the first NBA player to sign with Puma since Vince Carter in 1998. Carter agreed to a 10-year deal with Puma, according to ESPN’s Nick DePaula, but forced his way out two years into the deal, and the company hasn’t signed another NBA player ever since.
Bagley’s family ran a basketball program on Nike’s EYBL youth circuit called Nike Phamily. Bagley III and his younger brother Marcus, who is a rising junior, both played for the team, while their father, Marvin Jr. coached the team.
But what’s clear is that Puma has found a new sole in Bagley, and it couldn’t have stitched together a better partnership. The 6’11” forward is projected to go No. 5 overall to the Orlando Magic in SB Nation’s latest NBA mock draft, and some analysts have him going as high as third.
Bagley averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds on 39.7 percent shooting from the field in his freshman season at Duke. Whether those college numbers translate to NBA success — or shoe sales — remains to be seen.