The Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping to go on a deep playoff run right now. But there is one aspect to consider, and that is any financial aspects. At the end of the day, this is a business, and players, with a couple of exceptions, genuinely love the game of basketball but hope to find ways to parlay their on-court success into off-court financial gains.
Especially when you consider some of the lack of younger star power that appears in line to even hope to carry the proverbial torch from now on, this latest news could be a step back in the right direction regarding this specifically.
But is this, in your opinion, just another shoe deal?
Latest Deal For Oklahoma City Thunder Player
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a multi-year extension with Converse Basketball, according to Boardroom. This deal will also include him having a new shoe released in 2025. The subsidiary of Nike has a short but notable list of players who can say that they too were able to have this big of a deal in place with the company.
NBA names include only a select few Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Larry Johnson, Dennis Rodman, Dwyane Wade, and Elton Brand. As mentioned in a vacuum, this may seem like little to no big deal at all. However, it could be a sign that some view the Oklahoma City Thunder player as at least significant enough to endorse and push.
Oklahoma City Thunder Player Next In Line
Part of being a great player and potentially being next in line to be the face of the league requires a lot. First and foremost, you need to have tremendous talent. However, markability, avoiding character issues, and how you are perceived by the camera matter as well.
This isn’t to say that the Oklahoma City Thunder player is going to be able to have the same impact as LeBron James or Steph Curry. But it shows that of at least the younger American-born and raised players, he could be best suited to potentially earn that title one day.
Oklahoma City Thunder 2024 Playoffs
This team is ahead of schedule in terms of where they are in their development picture. And being recognized by one of the great brands while going on a deep playoff run could potentially position Gilgeous-Alexander to be at the forefront of the league in years to come.
But as stated, shoe deal or no shoe deal endorsements or lack thereof will not matter until advancing deep into the playoffs and ultimately winning a ring happens. But this is an item that the Oklahoma City Thunder hope to check off their list this postseason.
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