PORTLAND, Ore. — Zion Williamson, the NBA’s top draft pick, on Tuesday announced he has signed a multi-year sneaker deal with Nike’s Jordan Brand.
“I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of the Jordan Brand family," Williamson said. "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 and continues to have today. 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.”
Williamson played one year of college at Duke University and was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
He joins a roster of Jordan Brand NBA players including Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge and Jayson Tatum. Jordan currently features signature shoes for both Westbrook and Paul.
“Zion’s incredible determination, character and play are inspiring," said Michael Jordan in a statement from Nike. "He’s 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."
Although the terms of Williamson’s shoe deal were not released Tuesday, ESPN’s Nick DePaula reported that several competing brands offered Williamson more than $10 million per year.
At 6 feet, 7 inches tall and 285 pounds, Williamson is widely regarded as a basketball prodigy and a once-in-a-generation talent because of his combination of skill, strength and athletic ability.
During Williamson’s only year at Duke University, he made national news when he blew out his Nike sneaker and injured his knee during the opening minutes of a nationally televised game against the University of North Carolina.
The injury forced Williamson to miss several weeks and fueled speculation about which shoe company he would sign with after he turned professional.