Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers’ star player and current NBA MVP, is reportedly in the final stages of securing an endorsement deal with Skechers, a well-known footwear company. The news was first reported by Shams Charania, an NBA Insider for The Athletic.
Embiid is expected to become the face of Skechers’ upcoming basketball division, which is yet to be officially announced. In recent weeks, Skechers made waves on social media when NBA players like Julius Randle of the New York Knicks and Terance Mann of the Los Angeles Clippers were seen wearing unreleased Skechers basketball sneakers. This suggested that Skechers has plans to release at least two different basketball shoe models. Before this, Joel Embiid had endorsement deals with Adidas and later signed a five-year contract with Under Armour in 2018. Under Armour introduced the UA Embiid One signature shoe in 2020.
Although there hasn’t been an official announcement yet, sources indicate that Embiid’s deal with Under Armour is concluding, and he was seen wearing Skechers sneakers during a 76ers practice session. Skechers is actively working to enter the basketball footwear market and believes that Joel Embiid is an ideal fit for their brand.