Recently Puma captured the eyes of sneaker and basketball enthusiasts worldwide after signing some of the top NBA draft prospects to what are assumed very lucrative deals. In a move that is sure to turn even more heads, Complex reports Puma’s return to hoops will be led by JAY-Z as their president of basketball operations.
“We’ve been working with Roc Nation for quite some time. They’ve been great partners to us for several years. We’ve done many different deals with many different ambassadors,” Adam Petrick, Puma’s global director of brand and marketing, said in a statement.
The report states President Carter will assist in everything the brand will do from picking players to brand direction and design. The relaunch of the division for Puma includes the signings of Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith, and Duke’s Marvin Bagley III.
“It’s clear that we’re looking at basketball through the lens of culture, and thinking about the fashion of basketball, the music of basketball, all the aspects of culture around basketball as much as the on court presence that we will have,” Petrick shared.
Ayton, who is widely considered to be the first pick of this draft, spoke on joining Puma with Bleacher Report stating he felt a level of comfort with the brand due to his mother’s comfort with some staff members of the brand along with it being the best deal.
“Nike is Nike. Adidas is Adidas. I’ve played in their circuits and stuff like that, but now it’s a business. You don’t want just product. You’re not a kid anymore. You’re really trying to get bank,” Ayton added.
Bagley III’s deal is reportedly for the next five-years and at the time considered to be the biggest for a rookie since Kevin Durant inked with Nike.
The first drop from the relaunch of the basketball line of Puma comes in the form of 73 limited edition pairs of the sneaker worn by NBA Legend Walt Clyde Frazier today in Brooklyn, as reported by ESPN’s Darren Rovell.
It will be interesting to see what the Puma Basketball team achieves with this rookie class and during the upcoming season with Hov at the helm. Be sure to check back with TheSource.com for further updates.
Update: ESPN Darren Rovell reports Jay-Z role with Puma is actually Creative Director instead of President of Basketball Operations as originally reported.
UPDATE: Jay Z has not signed up for the role of president of Puma Basketball. The contract he signed was for creative director.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) June 19, 2018
