Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard has reportedly signed on to be the face of New Balance Basketball after years of repping for Jordan Brand.
According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, Leonard has agreed to a multiyear endorsement deal with the Boston-based brand as they look to re-enter the basketball space. Thus far, the only other basketball player to join New Balance's roster is 2019 NBA prospect Darius Bazley, who is currently making $1 million as an intern with the company.
For the most part, Kawhi has been rocking the Air Jordan 32 Low this season but that won't be the case for much longer. That said, New Balance has not yet unveiled any images of their upcoming basketball sneaker.
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Leonard, 27, was featured in Jordan Brand's "Like Mike" campaign earlier this year but he's not exactly the type of guy who is adept at marketing products, especially in the social media era. Known for his expressionless face and somber demeanor, Leonard is at the opposite end of the spectrum when compared to other signature athletes like Jordan Brand's Russell Westbrook, Adidas' James Harden, or Under Armour's Steph Curry.
In his first year with the Raptors, Kawhi is averaging 24.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game while leading Toronto to an NBA-best 18-4 record.
