When fans think of NBA players and their shoe deals, the names Nike and Adidas come to mind. Reebok has been in the mix before, Converse, New Balance, even Puma has gotten into the basketball shoe game.  But one shoe company that probably doesn't come to mind is Skechers. Los Angeles Clippers wing Terance Mann and New York Knicks forward Julius Randle shocked the world when they showed up to Media Day wearing Skechers. As far as Randle is concerned, he will have a partnership with Skechers, helping introduce the shoe company to the basketball world. Randle recently spoke about why he chose Skechers as per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.

Julius Randle used to have a shoe deal with Nike but it appears as if Skechers is his new endorsement. As per Bondy, Randle is aiming to shake up the world.

“It's an opportunity to do things outside of the box and things I might not have been able to do with Nike or Jordan. . .It's the 4th largest shoe company in the world. They have a market and now they're trying to tap into a different market.”

While Skechers may not be as popular as say Nike or Adidas, this could be an example of the players driving the market rather than the shoe company.

As far as what he can bring on the court this season, Julius Randle is looking to build on his All-Star season last year for the Knicks. Randle is currently on a max contract extension that will keep him in a Knicks jersey until at least 2026.