An emerging star in one of the world's biggest markets, New York Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Adidas according to The Vertical's Nick DePaula.
The deal, an incentive-based agreement that will pay Porzingis between $3 and $6 million annually, is the largest signed by a Europe-born player to date. The unique situation developed because Porzingis was originally signed by Nike as a 17-year old, making his rookie season in New York the final year of the contract.
Porzingis isn't officially an Adidas athlete just yet — Nike has until mid-October to match the exact terms of the offer, but sources tell DePaula that they're not expected to retain his services. Under Armour and several Chinese brands also expressed interest in signing him.
Fans of Porzingis shouldn't expect a signature shoe just yet. He'll likely start out in the Adidas Crazy Explosive and will have Player Edition colorways of team models release in stores. Should he hit certain on-court performance marks in the future, a signature model could be in play.
The addition of Porzingis would cap off a strong offseason for Adidas Basketball. In June, the brand announced the signings of incoming rookies Brandon Ingram, Jaylen Brown, Jamal Murray, Dragan Bender, and Kris Dunn.
