Zion Williamson Deserves $100 Million Sneaker Deal, Says Sonny Vaccaro

BYAlexander Cole2.9K Views
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Zion Williamson

The man who helped bring Michael Jordan to Nike has strong opinions on young Zion.

Zion Williamson has become known to every basketball fan in the world thanks to his play with the Duke Blue Devils this year. At 6'7" and 285 pounds, Zion has shown freakishly good athleticism and has been known for his posterizing dunks and blocks. With all of this in mind, it's no surprise that pretty well every pundit on the planet has Williamson going number one in the NBA Entry Draft this summer. Zion is also due for a pretty big payday when it comes to sneakers. Reports say there is currently a bidding war when it comes to the star player, with Nike leading the charge. 

TMZ Sports spoke to Sonny Vaccaro who was instrumental in bringing Michael Jordan to Nike back in 1984. Of course, Jordan ended up creating his own shoe brand within Nike and the rest is history. Vaccaro believes in Zion so much that he'd give him a $100 million deal.

"There are particular, singular athletes that can move the needle," Sonny explained. "Zion Williamson has moved the needle before he even became a professional."

If Zion were to be signed for nine figures, he would break LeBron James' record for largest sneaker deal before playing an NBA game. Coming out of high school in 2003, James made $90 million with Nike. Vaccaro explained why Williamson is actually worth more than the King.

"Zion Williamson is known to 14-, 15-, 13-, 60-, 70-, 80-year-old people because of his brilliance, his charismatic presence. That's why he's different," Vaccaro exclaimed.

Do you agree? How much do you think Zion will get?


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.