Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks Player signs Nike Deal

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Dallas Mavericks player, 20-year-old Luka Doncic who is originally from Slovenia, signs Nike deal to endorse Air Jordan line.

Nike announced Thursday, Luka Doncic has officially signed an endorsement deal with the shoe brand that bears MJ’s name.

A person who asked to remain anonymous and familiar with Doncic’s agreement with Nike said it’s a five-year, seven-figure deal to endorse the company’s Air Jordan line. And, according to reports, in the last week, the two were close to a deal but it was not officially announced until Thursday.

According to a blog post on air.jordan, the 2018-19 NBA rookie of the year has had an accelerated basketball career, having signed to one of Europe’s premier clubs when he was 13 years old. Doncic started playing by 16,  in Spain with the nickname “Wonder Boy.”

He went on to help Slovenia win its first FIBA Intercontinental Cup championship and was also the EuroLeague’s MVP in 2018, according to the blog post. After his European career, he was the third overall pick in the NBA draft.

“Growing up in Slovenia, and all over Europe, everyone knows about Air Jordans because of the impact Michael Jordan has had all over the world,” Doncic said in the blog post. “It’s a brand with an amazing history. The more I learned about their plans and how much they believe in me, it became an easy decision.”

A Nike press release said, Doncic is currently in his second NBA season and has already tallied more 30-point triple doubles than any player under 21 years old in history.

President of the Jordan Brand Craig Williams said, “We’re very pleased to welcome Luka to the Jordan Brand. He is an undeniable talent, and he’s already demonstrated a fearlessness in the clutch that we prize in the Jordan Brand family.”

This year, other additions to the Jordan roster include NBA players Rui Hachimura, Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum, and WNBA players Kia Nurse and Asia Durr. Michael Jordan said,“We are excited to welcome a Doncic to the Jordan Brand family. He rounds out a roster of incredible new talent united to represent Jordan Brand for the next generation.”