Somewhere in the world, a kid is drawing what he thinks his own signature sneaker will look like. Everybody has dreamt of being one of the few lucky NBA stars that get a signature sneaker. There are young players in the league right now that have been able to have their dreams realized. Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to don his own signature shoe this year. The shoe is called the Nike Zoom Freak 1s. Antetokounmpo has developed into one of the best basketball players in the world.
Joel Embiid will also have a signature sneaker coming out in the fall of this year. Embiid is one of the best big men in the league and deserves a signature sneaker. One thing that stands out about those two players is that they are foreign-born. In this article two out of the three players are foreign-born. The NBA has expanded its reach on the world and now we see that the best players are not born in the United States.
Young NBA Stars That Should Get a Signature Sneaker
Luka Doncic: Rising NBA Star Will Get Signature Sneaker
Luka Doncic exploded in his sophomore season. At one point during the year, he was being considered for the MVP trophy. LeBron James and Antetokounmpo look to be the two players going head to head for the trophy when play resumes. Doncic’s MVP hopes have fizzled out due to his team’s lack of success in the second half of the year. Although the Dallas Mavericks are not as hot as they were at the beginning of the season this is a step up from last year. They were the second-worst team in the Western Conference last year. This year they are a playoff team thanks to Doncic.
Doncic is a future MVP in this league and he has shown the ability to dominate games single-handedly. He is averaging 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 8.7 assists. Those numbers are off the charts and it is only his second season. His numbers are close to averaging a triple-double range but he will not get it. They are still jaw-dropping though. A signature shoe should be on the horizon for him because of his play and global appeal.
Trae Young: Another Rising Star Deserving of a Signature Sneaker
Trae Young is one of the hottest young players in the league. He was drafted in the same draft as Doncic in 2018 and both players have lit the league up ever since their first game. Young hasn’t been able to get his team to the playoffs yet. Although that is true, he has been individually one of the best players this year. He is averaging 29.6 points and 9.3 assists per game.
Both numbers are better than what Doncic is averaging this year in those categories. In only his second year in the league, he is third in the league in points per game and second in assists per game. Due to his team’s lack of success, a shoe deal maybe a little longer down the road. Embiid and Antetokounmpo have individual success and their teams are some of the best in the league. If Young’s play continues to blossom though he should have a shoe of his own.
Ben Simmons: All-Around NBA Star
Ben Simmons has had the most team success out of anybody on the list. He has led his team to two back to back 50 plus win-seasons. He has won two playoff series already. The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the top contenders in the league. Individually he has been dominant too. In his rookie season, he was able to win Rookie of the Year. He has made the All-Star game in back to back seasons. His averages adequately display his all-around game.
This season he is averaging 16.7 points, 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. His defense has improved greatly as he is first in the league in steals per game this year. He has taken on the task of guarding the other team’s best wing player. To be able to get a shoe deal he will have to average more points and become an All-Star starter like Doncic and Young were this year. Simmons is on his way, though.
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