In it's first year back in the basketball space after a 20-year hiatus, Puma has come on strong this Summer, signing the #1 overall pick DeAndre Ayton, the #2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III, Michael Porter Jr, and Zhaire Smith, as well as Boston Celtics point guard Terry Rozier and veteran forward Rudy Gay.
Now, you can add New York Knicks rookie Kevin Knox to Puma's ever-growing roster of young talent. With Knox on board, Puma has now signed five first round picks from the 2018 draft, including three of the top-10 selections.
Knox, the 9th overall selection in the June Draft, has been playing in Nike gear since his Kentucky days and continued to rep the swoosh during his impressive summer league performance. According to ESPN's Nick DePaula, Knox will now be lacing up the Puma Clyde Court, a sneaker that was debuted 45 years ago by Knicks legend Walt "Clyde" Frazier, as part of his multi-year deal with the resurgent brand.
In other rookie sneaker deal news, Nike recently reached a multi-year endorsement deal with Memphis Grizzlies rookie forward Jaren Jackson Jr., joining fellow rookies Luka Doncic and Collin Sexton, whom have also signed on with Nike. Meanwhile, Adidas has signed two electric rookie guards to their growing roster - the Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young and San Antonio Spurs' Lonnie Walker IV.
While Nike's status as the preferred brand for basketball players (according to DePaula, Nike still outfits more than 65% of players in the NBA), PUMA basketball is certainly making their presence felt with their incoming class of rookies.