Written by Nick DePaula at YahooSports.com
In hindsight, it was really no surprise at all.
When former LSU forward and potential top pick Ben Simmons hired agent Rich Paul for his representation earlier this spring, the assumption was that Simmons would soon be delivered to Nike. As reported by The Vertical’s Shams Charania, Simmons is close to signing a five-year footwear and apparel endorsement deal with Nike.
The dynamics at play are simply impossible to ignore. Paul, a longtime friend of LeBron James’ dating back to the phenom’s days at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, is now James’ agent after forming Klutch Sports Group in 2012. Every shoe deal Paul has negotiated for his clients has been with Nike.
While Eric Bledsoe, Tristan Thompson and other Klutch Sports athletes only received marginal interest from other brands over the years, Simmons’ shoe deal was different. Both Nike and adidas had great interest in signing him.
“I see you, Ben Simmons. I see you talkin’ that mogul talk with adidas. That cloth talk!”
The voice of DJ Khaled, the DJ/Snapchat phenomenon, played in a pre-recorded video during adidas’ pitch to Simmons last month at Universal Studios, sources told The Vertical, and the message was clear: Come to adidas and build your own personal brand. Deliver on court and possibly even get your own signature shoe. Make as much as three times more cash with adidas than with Nike. The message directed at the 19-year-old was mogul talk.
Simmons played for a Nike-sponsored high school, had worn LeBron’s Nike sneakers in his lone season at LSU and even replicated an iconic James cover pose for SLAM Magazine just last month. He’s been framed as the next LeBron, possessing a versatile playmaking game. With Paul’s close relationship with Nike sports marketing executive Lynn Merritt, the bond proved to be too strong to steer Simmons elsewhere.
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