In his transition from college ball to the pros, Ben Simmons has confirmed the details of one team he’ll be riding with. There’s just one more to go.
Speaking via Uninterrupted on Twitter, Simmons announced he has signed a deal with Nike and will be swathed in the Swoosh when he first steps on to an NBA floor.
The terms of the deal are not yet known, but Nike were rumoured to have offered Simmons approximately US$10 million previously, before the offer was declined by Simmons’ management.
It was speculated that Simmons’ camp knocked back the first offer as they were holding out – confident that Simmons would go to Los Angeles with the second pick in the NBA draft. The bright lights, storied gold uniforms and glaring hole left by the now-retired Kobe Bryant were thought to be exceptionally strong bargaining chips for the rookie.
Does Simmons' announcement today, weeks before the draft, indicate he will in fact be heading to Philadelphia? It’s all hearsay and speculation at this point. The only thing we know for now is what brand the Aussie phenom will be wearing.
