Puma is seeking to endorse Trae Young, expected to be a top-10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, as the face of the company’s return to basketball, according to a report from ESPN.
The 19-year-old point guard is a a one-and-done prospect from Oklahoma
At its Capital Markets Day in March, Puma revealed intentions to re-enter the performance basketball category. The brand left the category in 2001 and has hinted that it may return to endorsing a major American sport in recent years. The sports focus has recently been soccer, running and golf.
Puma in basketball is best known for the Puma Clyde, the suede model made for Walt “Clyde” Frazier in 1973, when he starred for the New York Knicks. Other former stars who have worn Puma include Isiah Thomas, Vince Carter and Cedric Ceballos.
During the Capital Markets Day presentation, Bjørn Gulden, CEO, pointed to the strong connection between basketball and urban culture, the popularity of basketball styles as best sellers and the success of retro comebacks in the category.
