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L.A. Clippers rookie Jerome Robinson is already making waves despite not having a single minute of NBA action under his belt just yet. Nike has already taken notice of the 19-year-old's potential and has decided to sign him to a sponsorship deal as early as now.
Although the details of the deal have yet to be disclosed, it was NBA insider and resident sneaker expert Nick DePaula who confirmed the news on Twitter.
LA Clippers’ 13th overall pick Jerome Robinson has agreed to a multi-year shoe deal with Nike. pic.twitter.com/NN9SgyC4RC
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) September 8, 2018
Nike has obviously seen the potential of Robinson and has decided to pounce on the opportunity at this point in his career. Assuming that the sportswear brand will be investing a relatively small amount on Robinson's deal, this is a low-risk, high-reward type of move for them. Should Robinson's career take off — as some have projected — then it would have been an excellent move on the part of Nike to lock him up while his stock was still low.
For his part, this is definitely a great sign for Robinson. Not many rookies are able to secure a shoe deal prior to making their debut, and the fact that this class is one of the most talent-packed we've seen in years makes Robinson's achievement even more impressive.
This may also prove to be a sign of good things to come for a Clippers team that has been in search of a new identity in the post-Lob City era. It may be too early to tell and perhaps a bit of a long shot, but who knows, maybe Robinson is going to be this season's Donovan Mitchell or Kyle Kuzma?
