2018 NBA Mock Draft: Promises, promises
125. . III. Duke. Marvin Bagley. 3. player
In case you haven’t figured it out by now, the top five of this draft is going to be a crapshoot. Aside from the Suns at No. 1, no team seems to actually want to draft a player, despite this being one of the deepest lottery classes in a while. Bagley has been connected to the Hawks for a while, and he’s rising back into the top three on most boards for the first time since the preseason.
He would have ample opportunity to produce and improve in Atlanta.
But instead of talking about that, let’s talk about shoes. Distract ourselves from the madness that is this draft.
On Friday, Bagley signed a five-year shoe deal with Puma, according to The Athletic. It is the first such deal for the leisurewear company since 1998, when Puma signed Vince Carter to a 10-year, $50 million deal. According to the report, the company had been preparing to jump back into the shoe game for a while, testing shoes with a variety of prospects this offseason.
An ESPN report added that Bagley will become a “featured athlete in several upcoming category and global brand initiatives,” joining Rickie Fowler as the face of Puma in America.
More from ESPN: “As part of his new endorsement deal with Puma, 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.”
Bagley’s family formed an AAU team in Phoenix, where Bagley went to high school. He probably wants to get drafted by the Suns. Maybe he does. I don’t know anymore.