The Latest Nike News on New Zion Williamson Deal

 After the NBA number one draft pick Zion Williamson blew through his sneakers earlier this year during a game against top competitor University of North Carolina, Nike quickly moved to collaborate with the athlete. Zion Williamson has signed onto the Nike Jordan line.The newest Nike sneaker releases in their Jordan line will be available soon, maybe in time for Black Friday sales.

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“Since I was a kid, I dreamed of making it to the league and having the type of impact on the game Michael Jordan had. He was one of those special athletes I looked up to, and I really can’t express how happy and excited I am for this journey,” explained the top draft pick Williamson. The Duke basketball freshman apparently forgave the footwear giant for his accident and sneaker explosion earlier this year.

Nike has not been the only company trying to sign on the young superstar. Both Under Armour and Adidas attempted to lure the Duke player into their fold. Under Armour ended up signing Golden State Warriors superstar athlete Steph Curry. Houston Rockets James Harden signed on with Adidas. The new Zion Williamson deal might be the most significant sneaker deal that Nike has had since signing on LeBron James. Williamson now plays as a rookie on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Over fifty athletes join the Jordan roster. Not all are basketball stars. The list is impressive, including Rui Hachimura, Jayson Tatum, Kia Nurse and Asia Durr. NFL quarterback Dwayne Haskins also joined the lineup.

Six-time NBA champ and legend Michael Jordan himself chimed in on the deal, telling insiders that, “[Williamson is] an essential part of the new talent that will help lead the brand into the future. He told us he would ‘shock the world,’ and asked us to believe him. We do.”

Nike shared Williamson’s Nike shoes deal on Twitter. They announced: “The Jordan Brand welcomes #1 pick @Zionwilliamson to the family.”

They clearly were happy to welcome him. Reports indicated that Zion Williamson signed onto a multi-year contract worth $75 million. The young athlete will receive about $10 million per sneaker contract. The Duke prodigy has a lot to be happy about.

The Nike Jordan deal is the biggest annual rookie shoe deal in the entire history of the sneaker company. Only an elite group of athletes including Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Cristiano Ronaldo can boast of larger footwear contracts.

The announcement causes a small jump in stocks. Overall Nike has been doing relatively well this year. Stocks are up more than fifteen percent this year. Announcements like this and other upcoming releases will help bolster the sneaker giant.