(photo: Getty Images / Yahoo Sports)
Baron Davis has become the latest NBA player to make the move overseas. No, he is not following Josh Childress to the delights of souvlaki and a long hot Summer — he won’t be leaving the Clippers any time soon. Instead, Davis is the newest signing by growing footwear superpower Li-Ning.
The Chinese shoe company has signed B-Diddy to a five-year deal, according to clothing and fashion website, SOJONES.
Bill Duffy, president of BDA Sports, which represents Davis, said the line may eventually be sold in the U.S. The deal with Davis “represents Li-Ning’s future foray into the U.S. market, and Baron provides them with an established American star in the prime of his career,” Duffy said.
Duffy would not disclose financial details of the deal, but he said, “This is the largest deal ever for a non-Chinese athlete with a Chinese company.”
According to a press release on Li-Ning’s website:
Li Ning will develop a series of unique athletic gear for Baron Davis. Mr. Zhang Zhi Yong, CEO of Li Ning Company Limited, said, “Baron Davis is unbelievably creative. He has great passion and abilities on the court and generosity and extensive interests off the court. His hard-fought spirit and optimism coincide with LI-NING brand’s healthy and aggressive spirit as well as its never-ending pursuit of excellence.”
You may remember that Davis is not the first American star to sign with the huge Chinese brand. Damon Jones started the flood across the Pacific initially and this past Summer, Shaquille O’Neal signed an undisclosed deal in what seems to be a growing trend. C.Y. Ellis of HoopsVibe questions whether this will be a trend that quietly sneaks up on us all, with “America losing its grip on the business of basketball”.
He notes that friends in China claim the shoe brand to be on the improve:
A good chunk of my family and most of my high school friends live in China, and each time I inquire about Li-Ning’s basketball line I hear things like “better quality”, “more commercials” and “getting popular” where previously the only response given was “Meh” or its equivalent. In short, they’re starting to get serious about challenging Nike (America), adidas (Germany) and Reebok (founded in Britain, owned by adidas) despite the dominance of the former two.
Competition is generally a good thing, right?
