Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan has long idolized the late Kobe Bryant and he'll now continue to be the face of the Nike franchise in place of The Black Mamba.
DeRozan has signed a new four-year deal with the company. Via Shams:
Fresh off making All-NBA second team, Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan is signing a new four-year deal with Nike that keeps him as the featured face of Kobe Bryant’s iconic line, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 1, 2022
DeMar DeRozan is frequently seen wearing Kobe sneakers from Nike and he even rocked a pair a couple of weeks back in the Drew League in Los Angeles. Nike handed the Bulls standout a new deal prior to the 2017-18 season as he led the relaunch of Bryant's shoe.
The Compton native is coming off a magnificent first season in Chicago, averaging 27.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per night. From a scoring standpoint, it was his best NBA campaign yet. DeMar DeRozan played a crucial part in getting the Bulls back to the playoffs, despite losing in the first round to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Nevertheless, he went on to make the All-Star Game and the All-NBA Second Team. The Bulls also managed to re-sign his running mate Zach LaVine this summer, which is huge for the direction of the franchise.
We'll continue to see DeRozan wear Nike kicks inspired by Kobe for many years to come, which is very exciting. The company couldn't have picked a better player to represent The Black Mamba, who was the epitome of hard work. DeRozan always looked up to Bryant during his early years in the league and even before that when he was at USC. For DeMar DeRozan's era of players, Kobe was basically Michael Jordan. Being able to carry on his sneaker legacy must be a special feeling.
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