National Basketball Association

Kristaps Porzingis is about to crush the sneaker game

Published Mar. 11, 2016 11:36 a.m. ET

foxsports

New York Knicks monster Kristaps Porzingis is already one of the most popular players in the NBA. This isn't a surprising statement to anyone who's watched a Knicks game this season.

He's 20 years old and 7-foot-3, with the lateral movement and outside touch of someone a foot shorter.

New York has a right to be excited about the Porzingis takeover. But it probably isn't as pumped as whichever shoe company that signs him to a multi-year deal will be this summer. Porzingis' current contract with Nike expires later this year, and there isn't a bigger — no pun intended — free agent on the market (via The Vertical):

Not only are his game, frame and style of play uniquely different, the structure of his existing shoe deal is, too. He initially signed a four-year deal with Nike as a teenager when he began playing professionally overseas that paid him just $25,000 per year. That means his shoe deal expires this summer, after just one year in the NBA, which is entirely unheard of...The early expectation from industry sources is that Porzingis will be looking for a long-term shoe deal with a brand already entrenched in the U.S. market such as Nike, adidas or Under Armour. The trio of top Chinese brands, Peak, Li-Ning and Anta, can all make strong cash offers, but have still struggled to elevate players in stateside marketing campaigns.

Even though he won't win Rookie of the Year and plays for a team that's objectively terrible, Porzingis is still averaging 18 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per 36 minutes. His efficiency can stand a bump, but that's to be expected from a player who's so inexperienced and playing a good chunk of his minutes outside his natural position.

Off the court, Porzingis has enough potential to be one of the league's most marketable names. Whether he re-signs with Nike or jumps to Adidas or Under Armour, there's no doubt that any of those three companies will lose their mind if they land him.

Don't forget: the man is a unicorn.