Lauri Markkanen Rounds Out One Of Nike Basketball’s Best Draft Classes Ever

Earlier today Nike officially announced the signing of Lauri Markkanen to a multi-year endorsement contract. Markkanen, who was drafted seventh overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves and was sent to Chicago as part of the Jimmy Butler trade, joins Markelle Fultz, De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Bam Adebayo, Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, and Jonathan Isaac in this year’s new crop of Nike Basketball athletes, in addition to Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina, who was signed by Nike some time ago. All of the aforementioned players stand to be impact players on various levels for their prospective franchises, although the potential emergence of a signature athlete from this draft class remains to be seen (although Fultz did receive a special pair of LeBrons from Nike).