It’s not uncommon these days for shoe companies to begin lobbying for the future signature of prized athlete.
It happened with LeBron. It happened with Derrick Rose.
Now, it appears to be happening with highly touted Kansas Jayhawks freshman Andrew Wiggins.
Jared Zwerling broke the story for Bleacher Report.
Sources: A $100 million-plus sneaker contract could be coming for Andrew Wiggins … My latest story: http://t.co/BPM00bHKXL #AndrewWiggins
— Jared Zwerling (@JaredZwerling) October 15, 2013
The financial figures of Wiggins possible shoe deal continues to grow.
Kurt Helin of NBC Sports is reporting that a deal with Adidas could be worth $180 million over 10 years.
That’s a huge potential contract for someone who has yet to play a single minute of collegiate, much less professional, basketball.
That is more than LeBron James signed for with Nike back in 2003. His first contract was $93 million over seven years.
Sports agent Bernie Lee chimed in on the subject.
If your a person w/a 180mil dollar shoe offer you sign it today, like in blood, you don’t wait, you don’t pass go you say “where do I sign” — Bernie Lee (@bleebasket) October 15, 2013
Lee makes a good point. If there is that much money on the table, why bother waiting around for it? Just sign a contract.
Mike Prada from SB Nation makes the point much more directly.
Why doesn’t Andrew Wiggins just take the $180 million shoe deal and go to the D-League? http://t.co/w6OemnFWgw
— Mike Prada (@MikePradaSBN) October 15, 2013
Great question. Why beat around the bush just to adhere to the NBA’s 19-year-old age restriction? There is no rule preventing him from signing with the D-League.
He could play basketball against a higher level of competition than the Big 12 has to offer and become a millionaire shoe endorsee at the same time.
Maybe the next crop of highly touted high school prospects will set the precedent by foregoing college altogether to sign on for a nice shoe deal.
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Michael writes the Tweet of the Day for SheridanHoops.com.