New York Knicks rookie RJ Barrett remains a sneaker free agent, but he has narrowed down his list of potential endorsement partners to just Adidas, Nike and Puma.
Barrett is the only player drafted in the top five of the 2019 class who hasn't signed a shoe deal yet. However, according to Nick DePaula of ESPN, that could change soon as the No.3 pick of the latest draft is deciding between the three major sneaker brands.
Two weeks have passed since Williamson signed, and four of this year's lottery picks are still waiting for deals, led by one of Williamson's former Duke teammates. No. 3 pick RJ Barrett is deciding among Nike, Adidas and Puma, according to industry sources.
New Orleans Pelicans forward and 2019 top pick Zion Williamson recently signed a lucrative shoe deal with Jordan Brand that would pay him an average of $15 million annually. Meanwhile, No.2 pick Ja Morant partnered with Nike just before the draft lottery.
Meanwhile, fourth overall selection DeAndre Hunter (Atlanta Hawks) and fifth pick Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers) also joined Morant in agreeing to multi-year endorsement deals with Nike.
Barrett is projected to contend for the Rookie of the Year honor in 2019-20, and he is expected to leverage on the hype around him to earn from any endorsement deal. As noted by DePaula, the Knicks rookie — along with other top prospects — may have opted to wait for Williamson to sign an endorsement deal as the major brands were holding out on their budget in hopes of landing the Pelicans' prized asset.
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