Top NBA draft prospect Marvin Bagley III has signed a five-year footwear and apparel endorsement deal with Puma as a part of a plan to aggressively relaunch its basketball footwear business.
According to the deal, Bagley is expected to be a featured athlete in several upcoming category and brand global initiatives. The brand will also commit to a grassroots infrastructure with the Bagley family that will focus on skill development for a future generation of AAU players.
Puma also signed Manchester United soccer player and Belgium international Romelu Lukaku to a multiyear deal that is the largest sponsorship deal in the company's history. The brand will also sign additional rookies in the 2018 draft, before signing established players that have existing shoe deals expiring later this fall.
The brand has found recent success and resurgence in the marketplace thanks to partnerships with entertainment mogul Jay-Z, pop star Rihanna and several other endorsers in the lifestyle category.
