With two regular season MVPs, an NBA Championship, a Finals MVP trophy and numerous horse racing trophies notched in his equestrian belt, Nikola Jokic has added yet another accolade to his growing presence around the world; signing a multi-year endorsement deal with performance footwear brand 361°.
Launched as a racing footwear manufacturer in 2003, the Chinese-based brand is built around a “One Degree Beyond” mentality and has since expanded into the basketball space. Headlined by Aaron Gordon’s signature series, the Nugget’s forward has introduced 361° onto the hardwood while currently playing in his fourth signature silhouette, the AG4.
Over the past few years, the presence of Chinese-based brands within the NBA has become ever more popular as the branding and marketing opportunities grow for individual players. No longer do superstars need the power and backing of a major corporation. Podcasts and equity partnerships have instead opened the door for professional hoopers to market themselves as a brand here in the states and across the globe.
Joining fellow Denver Nuggets teammate Aaron Gordon, Jokic is the latest NBA athlete to put pen to paper with an overseas brand. Andrew Wiggins has his own signature series with Peak much like Jimmy Butler and Klay Thompson’s respective lines with Li-Ning. Gordon Hayward, Alex Caruso and others build out ANTA’s remaining roster while CJ McCollum, Fred VanVleet and D’Angelo Russell continue to sport Li-Ning products.
The decision to part ways with the Beaverton brand could be pinned to several factors. Historically, the signature brands of big men and centers in the NBA fail to capture the height of popularity shone on guards and wings alike. While Jokic headlined the brand’s GT Jump series over the past few seasons – featuring his own Joker logo – the two-time NBA MVP and Finals MVP was never in the works for a signature series. With LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Sabrina Ionescu, Devin Booker and Ja Morant currently helming their signatures, the addition of Jokic would have added a seventh signature series to the brand; divulging Nike’s marketing power and dollars even thinner than they currently are.
Despite his recent appearance in a hotels.com commercial, Jokic has notoriously kept to himself throughout his career. A natural charisma and even sometimes a lack of obsession with the game has crafted a genuine allure surrounding the 7-foot Serbian center. Fans of the League and the global basketball community have quickly gravitated to Jokic’s care-free persona while he effortlessly secures a triple-double nearly every night. Simply suiting up in a brand’s basketball footwear – with his wedding band tied to his laces – may be all that is needed in the realm of marketing Jokic in the states and in the east.
As the leading face of 361°’s basketball initiatives, Nikola Jokic’s debut signature silhouette is set to release sometime in 2024. In the meantime, the superstar center has been sporting the brand’s flagship Big3 Future High. The higher cut version of the model will remain exclusive to Jokic and his needs in the paint while a low-top solution will be made available on December 28th for a retail price of $160 USD exclusively at Kicks Crew.
