It's official, New Orleans Pelicans forward and the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft Zion Williamson has signed with Jordan Brand.
Williamson's draw to Nike was somewhat in question after busting through a pair of their basketball shoes during his freshman season at Duke, causing him to miss a month of play with a knee sprain. Since being drafted, the rising star has been seen wearing nothing but Nike and Jordan, so it was assumed he would go in one of those two directions.
Williamson spoke on the opportunity to become a Jordan Brand athlete.
Zion Williamson: “I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of the Jordan Brand family. Since I was a kid, I dreamed of making it to the league & having the type of impact on the game Michael Jordan had & continues to have today. He was one of those special athletes I looked up to."
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) July 23, 2019
And Michael Jordan spoke on what it means for Jordan Brand to bring in an athlete of Zion's calibre.
Michael Jordan: “Zion’s incredible determination, character and play are inspiring. He’s an essential part of the new talent that will help lead the brand into the future. He told us he would ‘shock the world,’ and asked us to believe him. We do."
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) July 23, 2019
The details of the deal have not yet been disclosed.
He joins the likes of young, up-and-coming stars who have signed with Jordan Brand this offseason including Boston Celtics' forward Jayson Tatum, Washington Wizards' rookie Rui Hachimura, WNBA players Asia Durr and Kia Nurse and NFL rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins.
He'll also join long-time Jordan Brand NBA players such as Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Kemba Walker, Blake Griffin and Carmelo Anthony, among others.
