Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity
ESPN The Magazine|March 2019

No eight-figure shoe deal? No problem. The Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma walked his own path to sneaker supremacy.

Nick De Paula
Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity

Kyle Kuzma remembers how he became a sneakerhead growing up in Flint, Michigan, working within his mom’s limited budget. “We used to take trips to the mall every weekend to Finish Line and Foot Locker,” he says, laughing. “We’d look and then just go home.”

When the 6-foot-9 forward became a first-round draft pick of the Lakers in 2017, he thought his window-shopping days were over. “Everybody has the perception that when you get to the league, you can get any shoe that you want,” Kuzma says.

That didn’t happen. In the NBA, players typically sign one of three kinds of endorsement deals with footwear brands. The top tier is the signature shoe deal, reserved for about a dozen stars who receive a personally branded and designed sneaker with their own input and sign-off. Such deals, which come with a base salary and a standard 5 percent royalty on sales, can be worth tens of millions a year. The next tier consists of roughly 150 players who are signed to a cash deal, earning north of six figures to endorse a brand’s latest launches.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 2019-Ausgabe von ESPN The Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 2019-Ausgabe von ESPN The Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS ESPN THE MAGAZINEAlle anzeigen
The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield
ESPN The Magazine

The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield

To be the world’s most famous athlete means Cristiano Ronaldo can appear on screens everywhere yet somehow elude the fallout from a rape allegation.

time-read
8 Minuten  |
April 2019
Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage
ESPN The Magazine

Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage

MMA is a violent and unforgiving sport. But instead of shielding her young daughter from her career, Michelle Waterson is bringing her along every step of the way.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
April 2019
Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has
ESPN The Magazine

Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has

As Kyler Murray decides which sport will win his talents, at least one thing is clear: He owns his future in a way no other rookie has.

time-read
6 Minuten  |
March 2019
Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity
ESPN The Magazine

Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity

No eight-figure shoe deal? No problem. The Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma walked his own path to sneaker supremacy.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
March 2019
Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal
ESPN The Magazine

Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal

He’s baseball’s best-known face and now its richest player. In this exclusive interview, the All-Star talks rejecting $300 million, recruiting Mike Trout and becoming a Phillie for life.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
April 2019
Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?
ESPN The Magazine

Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?

Sizable expectations? Kyler Murray’s got a few: go No. 1 in the draft, become a franchise player and—oh yeah— completely blow up decades of doctrine about short quarterbacks.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
May 2019
Eternal Champions
ESPN The Magazine

Eternal Champions

Seven months ago, Brazilian underdogs Chapecoense boarded a plane to play in the game of their lives. Instead, their biggest moment turned into a tragedy no one can forget.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
June 26, 2017
What's In A Name?
ESPN The Magazine

What's In A Name?

With the founder of Bikram yoga facing assault allegations, it seems simple: Studios should distance themselves from his name. But it’s not so easy.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
June 04, 2018
One Formula For Change
ESPN The Magazine

One Formula For Change

To inject excitement back into its races, Formula One needs more than a tweak or new twist—it needs to correct its course.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 04, 2018
All About The Goals
ESPN The Magazine

All About The Goals

U.S. national team hero and Chicago Red Stars defensive midfielder Julie Ertz shares her secrets for keeping her world-champion mindset.

time-read
1 min  |
June 04, 2018