DJ Wagner featured in promotion for NOCTA, Drake’s Nike sub-label

On3 imageby:Jack Pilgrim07/21/22

DJ Wagner has partnered with Drake — rap superstar and Kentucky superfan — and his Nike sub-label, NOCTA.

The brand’s basketball collection was announced Wednesday, with the five-star guard among the key players featured in the unveiling.

The new collection features engineered-knit jerseys, compression tights, arm sleeves, headbands, socks and more. NOCTA’s complete basketball collection will be available starting July 27, with prices ranging from $12 to $120 on the NOCTA and Nike sites.

What does this mean for Wagner, Kentucky’s prized recruiting target in the class of 2023? It’s hard to ignore the partnership with a Nike brand, one affiliated with Kentucky fan Drake no less. He’s already playing on the Nike EYBL circuit with the New Jersey Scholars, competing this week in North Augusta for a Peach Jam title.

Kentucky’s top competition for Wagner? Louisville, who is sponsored by Adidas.

As we come down the home stretch of the five-star guard’s recruitment, it’s rather significant he’s agreeing to new partnerships with Nike brands. And to take it a step further, he’s the only high-profile basketball recruit prominently and individually featured in the advertisement.

Wagner is rated as the No. 2 overall recruit and No. 1 combo guard in the class of 2023. Kentucky looks to add the 6-foot-3 standout and pair him with fellow five-star guard Rob Dillingham in the backcourt.

For Dillingham, he’s looking to form a ”dream team” that includes Wagner, among other top recruits.

“The dream team would definitely be DJ (Wagner), Justin (Edwards), Aaron (Bradshaw), maybe a few more people. We already know Reed (Sheppard) is there,” Dillingham told KSR this week at Peach Jam. “Honestly not a super team, but a team that can win a national championship because Kentucky hasn’t won it in a minute. That’s what I hope to bring there, that’s my goal.”

Could Wagner’s partnership with NOCTA be a step closer toward that goal?

Discuss This Article

Comments have moved.

Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.

KSBoard

2024-03-27