Kevin Knox Signs Deal With Puma

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(Photo: Instagram | @kknox_23)[/caption] Puma continues to take the basketball scene by storm, this time in the form of signing former Kentucky forward and current New York Knicks rookie Kevin Knox. Knox was the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft and has reportedly signed a multi-year deal with the brand most famously known for producing soccer apparel.

New York Knicks rookie Kevin Knox — the No. 9 overall pick in June — has signed a multiyear endorsement deal with Puma, sources say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 5, 2018

Puma appears to have signed Knicks rookie Kevin Knox, who had an impressive summer league showing.
Knox has the same agent as Terry Rozier, who recently also signed with Puma. Would be a great signing and give the brand more market & positional balance. https://t.co/vTzKrfoLpn — Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) September 4, 2018

2018 has seen a marketing revival for Puma, whose recent signees include the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft DeAndre Ayton, No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III, No. 14 overall pick Michael Porter Jr., and No. 16 overall pick Zhaire Smith, along with veteran Rudy Gay and former Louisville guard Terry Rozier. This signing comes shortly after Los Angeles Clippers rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a deal with Nike. Puma had apparently been recruiting Knox over the past week, even going as far to straight up tweet at him that they wanted to sign him to their brand. Then, Tuesday morning, Knox was invited as a guest on the ESPN program First Take where he was sporting a white Puma t-shirt and shortly after, the deal had officially been announced.

Knox rewteeted this today and he’s currently wearing a Puma shirt on the set of First Take ??? https://t.co/HKhYGgmLDc
— Zack Geoghegan (@ZackGeoghegan) September 4, 2018

Puma also recently brought in rapper and businessman Jay-Z to help rebrand their basketball division as a "Creative Director". Puma has been out of the basketball game for the better part of close to two decades now, but they've done an excellent job in securing the high-profile names and young talent necessary to build a respectable brand. Knox being drafted to play in New York definitely makes him an easier player to market, no matter how bad the Knicks will be this season. All Puma needs is for one of these rookie signees to sprout into an All-Star and then they can truly begin to make their mark on the sneaker world. Hopefully, that player will be Kevin Knox.