Puma revives basketball brand with Marvin Bagley III endorsement

Puma’s basketball image does not fit among the hierarchical giants Nike, Adidas and Under Armour. Now, they’re trying to change that.

When we think of Puma, we think of soccer. We think of lifestyle apparel and footwear. We may even think of Rihanna. But maybe now, we’ll think of … basketball?

That appears to be what they’re aiming for. ESPN confirmed Thursday that Puma has signed former Duke star Marvin Bagley to a five-year endorsement deal. We’ll see plenty of Bagley advertisements for Puma shoes and apparel in the foreseeable future. The deal is expected to be the most lucrative since Kevin Durant’s Nike deal in 2007.

This is Puma’s first basketball endorsement deal since they inked Vince Carter to a 10-year deal after he was selected fifth overall in the 1998 NBA Draft, ESPN reported. Carter worked his way out of that deal in just its second season after a dispute over the attainment of his own shoe line.

It will be interesting to see what Puma’s designers draw up for Bagley. Hopefully it’s better than the clunky, heavy-looking kicks that Carter rocked in the late 1990s. Times have changed, and so have shoe styles, so it’s a safe bet that they’ll be improved.

Bagley’s decision to sign with Puma was surprising to many because of how much Bagley had worked with Nike throughout his development. According to ESPN’s report, Nike funded Bagley’s high school AAU team and sponsored the Drew League – where Bagley starred last summer.

Most draft analysts expect the 7-foot Bagley to be a top-five pick in next Thursday’s draft.

Next: NBA: 2000s All-Decade Second Team

According to the Oregonian, former Arizona center Deandre Ayton – another top-five prospect – is close to a deal with Puma. If that deal goes through as well, Puma will be off to an astounding start in its basketball renaissance.