Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who recently signed with Under Armour, was reportedly prodded on by the brand's top athletes in the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry and the New England Patriots' Tom Brady to join the growing squad, successfully luring the Sixers star to their team.
According to a report Nick DePaula of ESPN, Curry, who's regarded as Under Armour's current face, sent a welcoming message to Embiid. Not long after, Brady, whom Embiid has admiringly called as the GOAT, also sent a text message to share his excitement about the big man joining the brand.
Embiid is tagged as one of the best big men in the NBA today. Also, he's known for his relatively playful attitude off the court. And he did not mince his words when the thought of a future signature shoe was brought up for discussion.
“Basketball has given me everything, but it has to be bigger than basketball. … This isn't about a shoe deal,” said Embiid. “I mean, listen … I'm gonna make sure they design some shoes as pretty as I am. Don't worry about that. We're gonna take care of that.”
Under Armour, for their part, knows what Embiid brings to the table. He's not only a skilled big man but his personality, too, is a great asset. Kris Stone, Under Armour's senior director of global sports marketing for basketball, said:
“He's an All-Star starting center and talented franchise player leading a team that'll be in contention for years to come,” said Stone. “On top of that, he's hilarious on social media, and some of the data we've seen shows his fans connect with him as much as anyone else in the league.”
Embiid also penned a heartfelt and personal statement following his decision to join Under Armour.