DeMar DeRozan Extends His Deal With Nike

DeMar DeRozan and the Swoosh have reportedly come to terms on a new contract agreement that would extend their partnership for another four years. According to The Athleticâ€s Sham Charania, Nike has plans to keep DeRozan the face of the Kobe line due to the Compton-born forwardâ€s long-standing love for the line. 

Following Bryantâ€s retirement in 2016, DeMar became the foremost advocate of the Mambaâ€s line and to this day continues to pull out new colorways of various iterations of Kobeâ€s line. DeMar regularly debuted new silhouettes including the Nike Kobe AD and Nike Kobe NXT 360 in 2018.

DeRozan was even alluded to in the Undefeated x Kobe 4 Protro Pack with the Hyper Jade colorway representing his tenure with the Spurs. Now, the midrange maestro will continue to carry the line forward alongside Devin Booker who also recently extended his Nike deal. 

Following Kobe Bryantâ€s untimely passing, it looked as if the iconic brand would be leaving the Nike umbrella. After a year of negotiations, Nike and the Bryant estate reached an agreement in March 2022 that would keep the Kobe line on the market and see new releases. With DeRozan and Booker carrying the torch, we can look to see the legacy of Kobe continue for a long time.