SUMMARY
- Denver Nuggets' star center, Nikola Jokic, has left Nike to sign a multi-year signature shoe deal with the Chinese brand, 361 Degrees.
- The Chinese sports brand, 361 Degrees, has been gradually expanding its presence in the basketball shoe market.
Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic has made a major shift in his footwear endorsement, leaving Nike to sign a multi-year signature shoe deal with the Chinese brand, 361 Degrees. This move makes Jokic a key global face for the brand and aligns him with his Denver Nuggets teammate Aaron Gordon, who also has a signature shoe deal with 361.
The deal is a notable transition for Jokic, who has spent the first eight seasons of his career wearing sneakers by Nike, including leading Nike’s GT Jump franchise. His switch to 361 Degrees shows a growing trend among basketball superstars to explore alternative partnerships. This list includes names like Stephen Curry, James Harden, Joel Embiid, and Kyrie Irving, who have all chosen different paths in the footwear industry.
The Joker is debuting the 361 Big3 Future High tonight, a high-cut version of the brand’s Future model currently out now. https://t.co/brBSRk0yWv pic.twitter.com/FHR2Ha9LvN
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) December 21, 2023
361 Degrees is a 20-year-old Chinese sports brand and is slowly building its presence in the basketball shoe market. The company has an extensive retail network with nearly 6,000 stores in China and an additional 3,000 outlets globally. With Jokic’s signing, the brand has made a big move in the industry, suggesting a more aggressive strategy in the future.
Nikola Jokic wears non-Nike shoes for the first time
In a recent game against the Toronto Raptors, Nikola Jokic made headlines by entering the court in non-Nike footwear for the first time in his professional career. The reigning Finals MVP wore the 361 Big3 Future High, a high-cut version of the brand’s Future model. This was a big moment for Jokic and 361 Degrees, showing the new partnership in an NBA game.
The Big3 Future High, which Jokic debuted is a part of 361 Degrees’ flagship products and is known for its innovative features. The shoe includes a synthetic and mesh build, along with Carbon Critical and SOARSYSTEM technology. Although the high-top variation that Jokic wore is not available in stores in the United States, the lower-cut Big3 Future CQT can be purchased via online retailers such as 361degreeshop.com for $300.
Congrats to the Joker and the @nuggets on a franchise-first NBA Championship. pic.twitter.com/Bp81FtWFEE
— Nike Basketball (@nikebasketball) June 13, 2023
“So a Serbian guy walks into an arena. Wins an MVP. Wins another one. Helps lead his team to the Playoffs. Then the Finals. Wins a ring. Brings a city together. And everyone is happy. That’s it. That’s the punchline. No joke.”
This move by Jokic ends his partnership with Nike, which had recently celebrated his achievements with an ad campaign after the Denver Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Championship. The campaign which included Serbian music praised Jokic’s journey from winning MVP titles to leading his team to an NBA championship. However, with this new deal, Jokic has made a different path in the basketball shoe industry.