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JuJu Watkins is making major moves on and off the court. On Tuesday, 8, 2024, ESPN reported that the University of Southern California star — who recently entered her second season with the team — signed a multiyear contract extension with Nike , securing “one of the richest shoe endorsement deals in women’s basketball.” Watkins joined the Nike family as a high school senior in October 2022. At just 19, she has consistently exceeded expectations during her time with the Trojans, leading the team to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1994 in her first year, according to CBS Sports. She boasted averages of 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, ranking second nationally in scoring, per the outlet. With 920 points, she made history as the all-time leading scorer among freshmen in Division I women’s basketball, surpassing San Diego State University’s Tina Hutchinson who had the previous record of 898 during the 1983-84 season. As Blavity reported, Watkins...
The founders of Eastside Golf continue to build on their momentum in the golf apparel space while staying true to their roots. As previously reported by AFROTECH™, Morehouse College graduates Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper founded the brand without a fashion background in 2019 after working full-time in corporate America. The company boasts products such as polo shirts, sweatshirts, pants, shoes, and accessories including bags, all tailored towards men and women. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eastside Golf (@eastsidegolf) Beyond the product offerings, the founders have continued to pave their own way through their mission that centers moving the sport forward among the youth and non-golfers while increasing diversity in a predominantly white sport. Their vision has led to an increase in support as they scaled their annual revenue from $100,000 in their first year to $4 million in 2023. They kicked off 2024 with a $3.4 million raise led by EP Golf Ventures, and the...
What was supposed to be a big moment in one photographer’s life has turned into a tale of survivor’s remorse after he claims that Nike tricked him out of credit for a photo he captured of Michael Jordan that would go on to become the logo for the company’s Jordan Brand. In a new short documentary, “Jumpman,” Jacobus “Co” Rentmeester accuses the leading athletic company of copying his work to create the Jordan Brand logo that has graced a plethora of sneakers and clothing products for decades. Originally shot during a photo shoot commissioned by Life magazine for the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Jordan was instructed to perform a grand jeté, which is “a classical ballet move where a dancer jumps and spreads their legs wide,” Fortune magazine reports. Today, the Jordan Brand is worth $6 billion. However, Rentmeester’s disdain comes from what he believes was negligence on Nike’s part to properly credit and compensate him for the role his photo may have played in inspiring the logo. View...
Jordan Brand is Nike’s best-performing division. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the Jordan Brand continues to rise, tracking $4.7 billion in fiscal year 2021. At the time, this equated to a 31% increase and marked its highest yet, with growth in every region, including double digits in North America, according to WWD. The following fiscal year, Jordan Brand earned $5 billion. “We’re empowered to grow this brand and make the most of it in geographies around the world,” explained Craig Williams, the president of Jordan Brand at the time, per WWD. “And that’s where the distinctiveness and the independence — if you want to call it that — come into play. But we are turbocharged by being a part of a great global company called Nike Inc. It helps us to efficiently get things done in a way that if we were an independent company, we wouldn’t have that luxury. So it’s important for me, when I think about it with the team, to be both collaborative to take advantage of the wealth of...
Mooski’s 2021 hit “Track Star” may be filled with double entendre and deeper meanings, but its opening line — “She’s a runner. She’s a track star”— takes on a literal meaning for Sha’Carri Richardson. Richardson is a Dallas, TX, native whose track career has experienced some hills and valleys but never infused extreme doubt for anyone who has followed the star’s journey. Her athletic prowess was confirmed even further when she qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sha’Carri Richardson’s Journey Richardson’s 2024 qualification is a testament to her resilience following a challenging period in 2021. According to a Forbes profile, a failed drug test led to a one-month suspension, causing her to miss the Tokyo Olympics. Her candid discussion about using cannabis to cope with the stress of Olympic qualifying and the loss of her biological mother earned her widespread respect. Despite the emotional turmoil, Richardson returned triumphantly in 2023, securing gold in the 100 meters at the...
The Jordan Brand has attracted some of the world’s greats to its brand. However, that should come as no surprise when considering who is at the helm, NBA legend Michael Jordan. It all began when his mother, Deloris, stepped in to ensure he took a chance on signing with Nike. “My mother said, ‘You’re gonna go listen. You may not like it, but you’re gonna go listen,” Jordan said in ESPN’s “The Last Dance” documentary, according to NBC Sports. “She made me get on that plane and go listen.” Jordan was originally looking to sign with Adidas, but he would make his commitment to Nike known when he signed to the brand in 1984 under a five-year, $2.5 million deal, Sports Illustrated reports. Immediately, Jordan’s presence and the staple Air Jordan exceeded expectations with sales reaching $126 million within one year. By 1997, the Jordan Brand began operating independently and also added apparel and accessories. T oday its annual revenue exceeds $6.6 billion, per Sportico. What’s more the...
The Antetokounmpo family doesn’t play when it comes to their own. Nike has been a long supporter of Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family since the very beginning of his career in 2013, and it’s also what encouraged the NBA superstar to pass on another endorsement deal with one of the athletic apparel company’s competitors. According to Bleacher Report, during an appearance on the “Thanalysis Show,” Antetokounmpo recalled the moment he decided to walk away from a deal at Adidas because he was in a position where he needed to help support his family. After an initial offer featuring a deal for both Giannis and his brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Adidas backtracked on the plan, prompting Giannis to turn down the proposal. “[An Adidas representative] brought the contract and put it in front of me, and I’m like, ‘Okay great, where is my brother’s?’” Antetokounmpo explained, per Bleacher Report. “And he was like, ‘We’re not going to sign your brother’s today. You’re going to sign yours,...
Breakups are always tricky. From the heartbreak to the reminiscing of memories, experiencing a relational transition can be seen as one of life’s tragedies. Although the beginning and end of a relationship are a natural part of human development, it doesn’t take away the sting when something special ends. While many would encourage folks to turn the “L” into a lesson, what happens when it’s hard to say goodbye — so you just keep coming back? Or even worse, when the love you have isn’t even reciprocated? This narrative may sound like the next great rom-com or the plot for a Shonda Rhimes spinoff. However, it is not the case here. This emotional rollercoaster actually refers to the reality of many sneakerheads and their experience with the Nike SNKRS app. Week after week, the latest shoes drop on the app, and while many are successful in their purchases, other potential buyers are left with the all too common “YOUR ENTRY WASN’T SELECTED” notification — talk about a loss. Despite this...
Similar to how Michael Jordan’s name and likeness helped Nike to become heavy in the culture, Grant Hill rocking Fila made the footwear company blow up in the ’90s. Though the former NBA star signed with the brand, there was once a Nike deal on the table. During an interview on “Knuckleheads” podcast, Hill recalled initially being sold on Nike and speaking with its founder Phil Knight, who had the vision for the brand’s global expansion.
