The 2014 NBA Draft consisted of easily the most hyped class since the infamous draft of 2003. With potentially the deepest class of the last 10 years, NBA teams weren't the only ones drooling for an opportunity to sign one of these coveted prospects as the top brands in the world were looking to get into the action and secure their next brand ambassador.
One the ink dries on their first NBA contract, the next big move top rookies have to look forward to is the opportunity for endorsements, most importantly, sneaker deals. Two driving factors that sway rook's decisions on who to sign with is obviously which brand throws the most money their way, and what brand the players are feeling at the time and are comfortable lacing up on game day. As the summer league comes to a close and the NBA season looms, nows the time the lottery picks from the 2014 Draft including Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Julius Randle make their choice on which kicks will grace their feet for their rookie campaign.
With Nike, adidas, and Jordan all chomping at the bit to get their hands on the next superstars of the NBA, we took a look at Each Brand the Top NBA Rookies Have Signed With.
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TJ Warren
Brand: Nike
Team: Phoenix Suns
Chosen at #14, TJ Warren may be considered the biggest steal in the draft when the season is all said and done. Warren impressed just about everyone with his play in the Summer League, averaging 18 points per game and shooting over 50 percent from the field. Although sometimes numbers over the summer don't translate when the actual season starts, but that didn't keep Nike from picking up the 2014 ACC Player of the Year. Warren can flat out fill it up and his style fits right into the fast pace offense the Suns run, we just hope he laces up the Hyperrev 2015 when the season kicks off.
Doug McDermott
Brand: Nike
Team: Chicago Bulls
McBucket's may just have the most range of any player in this draft, and anyone who watched the 2014 Naismith Award winner knows he can fill it up with the best of them. Although he'll be playing with top adidas endorser D Rose, McDermott opted to sign with the Swoosh so expect him to splash three's all over the court, most likely rocking the Nike Hyperdunk 2014.
Nik Stauskas
Brand: Nike
Team: Sacramento Kings
Stauskas was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2014 out of Michigan, and after moving Jimmer Fredette and Marcus Thorton last year, the Kings needed to bolster up their back court and find a viable back up for Rudy Gay. Stauskas has been seen around the Las Vegas Summer League wearing the Nike Hyperrev, so expect him to keep it to a lightweight model that allows for quick cuts as his game is predicated on getting open running off screens.
Julius Randle
Brand: Nike
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Randle saw his draft stock drop slightly following a nagging foot injury that occurred while he was still in high school. The Lakers were more then happy to see him drop and scooped him up to pair alongside now fellow Nike athlete, Kobe Bryant. Randle wore Nike's all last year as a member of the Kentucky Wildcats, so it's no surprise he opted to go with the Swoosh. Hopefully for our sake he can join Swaggy P and bring out some exclusive Kobe 9's for the upcoming season.
Marcus Smart
Brand: adidas
Team: Boston Celtics
Widely considered the best defender in the draft, Marcus Smart is looking to right the ship in Boston after a few years of mediocrity. Smart joined on with adidas shortly after the draft and now has his choice of footwear from the Three Stripes to lace up, as a fair amount of their shoes are centered around guards. Alongside a healthy Rajon Rondo, the Celtics could have one of the stronger young back courts and could make some real noise in the rather weak Eastern Conference.
Dante Exum
Brand: adidas
Team: Utah Jazz
Exum was the dark horse of the 2014 draft, as many common watchers of the sport had little knowledge of the Australian star. adidas jumped on the young lanky point guard and inked him a contract as his many people see him as a future star of the league. The Three Stripes will be happy to know he's not camera shy, as he already starred in multiple spots for Foot Locker going into the draft. We expect to see Exum lace up the Crazy Light Boost, as he, Trey Burke, and Gordon Haywood look to bring the Jazz back into contention in the West.
Aaron Gordon
Brand: Nike
Team: Orlando Magic
Aaron Gordon is a freak athlete, often drawing comparisons in his high flying game to Clipper's star Blake Griffin. His high motor and play making ability will certainly draw some attention to Orlando, who is looking to rebuild after a couple brutal seasons. Nike is looking to take advantage of the hype, and we expect Gordon to live up to it with the Magic rocking either the Nike Zoom on the Run, or the Hyperdunk 2014.
Joel Embid
Brand: adidas
Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Everyone's favorite Twitter celebrity from the 2014 Draft, Joel Embid has already made a name for himself asking out the likes of Rihanna and Kim Kardashian. Philadelphia fans and adidas are hoping his dominance on social media is just as strong as his game on the court and are looking to take advantage of the Kansas big man's raw talent. Paired with a healthy Nerlens Noel, the two could prove one of the strongest defensive front courts in all of basketball. Expect to see Embid lace up the Crazy Light Boost when he finally makes his NBA debut, which is expected to be sometime around Christmas if he's lucky.
Jabari Parker
Brand: Jordan Brand
Team: Milwaukee Bucks
Jabari Parker was considered the purest scorer in the draft, often drawing comparisons in his game to Carmelo Anthony. It's only suiting that Parker now joins Melo as a member of Jordan Brand going into his rookie campaign in Milwaukee. Parker is looking to bring the Bucks back to respectable form alongside new coach, Jason Kidd, who abandoned the Nets after just one year. We can only hope Jabari gets the PE treatment Ray Allen got from Jordan Brand when he was on the Bucks, as those were some of the cleanest looking PE's of all time.
Andrew Wiggins
Brand: adidas
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Unless you've been living under a rock the last few years, you've heard all the hype around Canadian born star Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins can jump out the gym, and his defense prowess puts him a step above the rest as he uses his freakish athleticism on both sides of the court. While Wiggins is currently a member of the Cavaliers, many expect him to be traded to Minnesota in a deal for Kevin Love. For the mean time, Wiggins will still be with the Cavs, and laced up the adidas Crazy Fast 2.0 during the Summer League, so expect him to keep it light on court no matter where he ends up for his rookie campaign.
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