After first signing with Puma in 2018 to help relaunch its basketball category, Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton has secured a new multi-year footwear and apparel sponsorship deal to continue his association with the brand. .
“It’s pretty lit up. It’s really a blessing too,” Ayton said. “The reason I signed with Puma from the beginning is that I wanted to be different.”
The new deal, negotiated by Innovate Sports Group, is expected to place Ayton among the top 3 highest paid athletic brand representatives at the center back position. While Puma has found its place in rim space after a nearly two-decade hiatus since it landed NBA sponsors, Ayton has long had an affinity and familiarity with the company.
“Growing up in the Bahamas, the first brand I really used was Puma. That’s all we saw was Puma,” he said. “A guy like Usain Bolt, whom I looked up to as a star of the Caribbean and the face of the Caribbean when it comes to sports, that’s the only thing he was standing for. Puma was everywhere.”
Over the past three years, the former number one pick has continued to advance on and off the court with the brand, after initially helping to spearhead a marketing splash in the week leading up to the 2018 Draft that saw a total of five top picks. round signing with Puma.
“We wanted to be renovators, putting our brand back in the mix after several years, with the strategy of signing the best picks in the draft who were not only elite athletes, but also a good fit with our brand’s goal of merging. sports with culture “. said Adam Petrick, PUMA’s global director of brand and marketing. “Deandre was a big part of our plan. He checked all the boxes for us then and now as Puma Hoops continues to grow … We are really excited to continue to have Deandre as part of our Puma family.”
Since then, Ayton has continued to familiarize himself with the shoe industry, relying on the feedback process along the way, and seeking to create custom sneakers to share his story and highlight those around him.
“It’s one thing to want to listen and have a good relationship with the people you work with,” he said. “Also, just know what you want. Learn about your brand. Learn about the things you like. Know the name of the shoes and know the story behind the shoes.”
While it will continue to spearhead the latest Puma models like the Court Rider and RS Dreamer lineup on the court, a key component of Ayton’s new Puma extension will be allocating a sizeable budget allocation for community activations and outreach events.
“We are a generous family. Growing up, you don’t come to my house without leaving with a full belly,” Ayton said with a smile.
First came the “RS-X Deandre,” a sneaker with colors that came off the sandy beaches of the Bahamas and raised money to benefit its homeland after the destruction of Hurricane Dorian. In a full circle moment, he gifted the first pair to Usain Bolt. Over the summer, Ayton interwoven the entire Suns staff with pairs of Cougars.
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“He has partnered with Puma and shared his ideas on how he can give back.” “Seeing that, I remember how we grew up. I grew up with second-hand clothes, and that we are in a position to help families and put smiles on their faces, it’s like a dream that I never thought would have come true.”
Whether it’s the New York shopping spree or recent food donations during the holiday season, the Aytons have been looking to make their mark.
“All the families that I have ever met, they all left with a smile on their face,” he smiled. “The results and the letters they leave me at the facility after these events are insane. Even my mother receives letters from fans.”
So far this season, Ayton has primarily worn a pair of custom Court Riders in Suns colors, with his “DA” logo across the top of the toe and his “DOMINAYTON” moniker along the heel.
“Being able to see your own logo on the shoe that you wear, there is some pride behind that,” he said. “It just makes you want to play harder, play better and it’s your shoe. It’s a motivation not to stop hard work and create more things.”
Now in Puma’s fourth season in the NBA, Ayton joins a balanced roster of Puma with LaMelo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, RJ Barrett and more than a dozen others. The company also boasts a quartet of WNBA stars, leading to the recent launch of its first Puma women’s basketball collection.
“That’s super lit,” Ayton said. “Everyone deserves the opportunity to just express their imagination. Seeing things like that and on a platform like Puma, I was enlightened to see. It is motivation also at the same time, because I want to show my imagination and what I have too, so congratulations to them. “.
To continue expanding his own visibility with the brand, he describes the goals of becoming an All-Star, a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and a two-way anchor for the Phoenix Suns contenders as key. After a playoff run last summer that saw him win his first trip to the NBA Finals, Ayton and his family boarded the Puma Jet, the company’s exclusive private jet for athletes, for a homecoming vacation in the Bahamas.
“Man, I felt a bit of a trendsetter. Being in that position and representing our brand, knowing that I’m part of it. [desde el principio]It meant something, “he said.” I felt like I’m the one who can lead the group. There was definitely some pride behind that, and we’ll be in a good place, because I’m a winner. “
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