Victor Wembanyama is all set to compete in his first NBA Finals within three years in the league. While he remains focused on the upcoming series against the New York Knicks, the San Antonio Spurs star will then have to face a decision that could earn him millions.
While fans have their eyes on the NBA Finals, many were distracted lately following the latest development involving Steph Curry. ESPN’s Shams Charania announced that Curry, who has been a sneaker free agent for a while, has signed a 10-year endorsement deal with Li-Ning. The contract is reportedly worth over $400 million.
Wemby will also face a similar situation later this year. The 7-foot-4 star has been with Nike since his time with the French side Metropolitans 92 in 2022. The deal continued when he was drafted by the Spurs in 2023 and will end in October of this year. This is considered the right time for the deal to come to an end, as Wembanyama is having an MVP-calibre season.
“Think about the timing of this. He’s 22 years old, about to be in the Finals, just won Conference Finals MVP, and just won Defensive Player of the Year– the first unanimous winner ever,” Charania said on Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter’s 'Cousins' Podcast. The ESPN reporter also suggested that Nike needs its next face after losing Curry.
Charania said, “Anthony Edwards is locked in at Adidas and has a big deal. Luka Doncic is locked in at Jordan Brand and has a big deal. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a major deal with Converse. Jayson Tatum is also locked in at Jordan Brand.” With most young faces already signed elsewhere, Nike will try its best to retain Wembanyama ahead of his expiring deal.
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The 22-year-old is featured in Nike’s GT performance series. However, he doesn’t yet have a signature shoe of his own. His “Alien” logo was revealed by the brand in April 2024. Nike has marketed Wembanyama heavily in recent years. However, one fake ad featuring Wemby went viral during the NBA Western Conference Finals.
With Nike’s logo on top, the social media post featured the Spurs star with a group of nuns. “Stop him? Just pray,” read the ad, referencing Wembanyama’s 33-point performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4. While many thought it was Nike’s original advertisement, the post turned out to have been made by a 20-year-old designer who has no affiliation with the brand.
Nevertheless, the post received a positive reaction for both Wembanyama and Nike. As time ticks down on his contract with the brand, the French star has all the leverage heading into negotiations. But breaking Curry’s $400 million mark still seems far-fetched at this point in his career.
