史上最年轻的亿万富翁?
Long before he steps on an NBA court, the projected No. 1 overall pick in June's NBA draft is expected to land a sneaker endorsement deal that will make him far richer than his first NBA contract will. In fact, many in the sneaker industry expect that Williamson's eventual deal will make him one of the three highest-paid rookie sneaker endorsers ever, joining the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Like James, whose deal was done before the draft lottery that would eventually land him in Cleveland, Williamson is expected by industry insiders to have a deal inked before this year's May 14 draft lottery, as the major sneaker companies see Williamson as a potential marketing superstar regardless of which market he lands in. For Williamson, the inclusion of a signature sneaker could be necessary to seal the deal. Only nine players in league history have had a signature shoe for their rookie season. Sonny Vaccaro,a forefather of the sports marketing world who originally worked for Nike decades ago, Vaccaro famously pushed to allot the brand's entire athlete budget toward signing Michael Jordan in 1984, for $500,000 per year. He then left for Adidas in the early 1990s, shifting his focus to the new landscape of prep-to-pro phenoms, signing Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady to deals with the Three Stripes before they'd ever played an NBA game. "In my lifetime, I think it's going to be the biggest bidding war ever done," said Sonny Vaccaro, "Sitting here at this age and watching 50 years of it, Zion has made me feel like it's 1984," said the 79-year-old Vaccaro. "I'm serious." Though James had three serious suitors and Durant had a battle between Nike and Adidas, Williamson could receive offers from as many as six brands, including Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, New Balance, Puma and Anta. "What Michael did for Nike, Zion could do for somebody new," Vaccaro said. "What Steph Curry did for Under Armour — they weren't new, but they weren't there ... I would find a new way to make him America's child. I just think America loves Zion Williamson." In China, sportswear brand Anta has been enjoying a great run with Curry's All-Star teammate Klay Thompson. Currently under a 10-year extension that could be worth up to $80 million, Thompson has been thrilled with the partnership. It has not only been lucrative, but also expanded his profile abroad. Signing Williamson would be a sharp departure from Anta's longstanding China-focused athlete strategy. Chinese brands have typically signed older players who have already achieved All-Star or championship status in the league, veterans whom fans are familiar with and follow. According to sources, Williamson would be the exact player they'd love to sign for an opposite, new strategy: breaking through in the U.S. |