Dear Nike, Bradley Beal deserves a signature shoe
Forget Foams and 990s. Would you rock a pair of the Bradley Beal 1s?
The All-Star shooting guard has a shoe deal with Nike but no signature shoe. The question is, why? He certainly deserves one. Bradley Beal is the face of the Washington Wizards, and if he re-signs with the team before his current contract expires, he will instantly become a DMV legend. The DMV is a huge market for apparel, especially sneakers.
Here’s a list of some notable current NBA players who have or had a signature shoe at some point their career:
- LeBron James (Nike)
- Kyrie Irving (Nike)
- Kevin Durant (Nike)
- Stephen Curry (Under Armour)
- James Harden (Adidas)
- Paul George (Nike)
- Damian Lillard (Adidas)
- Derrick Rose (Adidas)
- Klay Thompson (Anta)
- John Wall (Adidas)
- Russell Westbrook (Jordan)
- Chris Paul (Jordan)
- Carmelo Anthony (Jordan)
Solely based on market size, Beal’s in a good spot. The Washington metropolitan area has a population estimated to be over six million, which makes it the seventh-largest metro area in the United States. Portland has an estimated metro population of 2.3 million, yet Lillard is seen as more marketable than Beal. Without comparing their game on the court, it’s hard to see why Damian Lillard has a signature shoe and Bradley Beal doesn’t.
Bradley Beal, although maybe not the same caliber of star as Damian Lillard, has a big enough fan base to generate Nike sales in the DMV area and elsewhere. Beal has been playing at an elite level for some time now, even if he hasn’t gotten the recognition he deserves. A signature shoe would help solidify him as a top-tier player.
Bradley Beal, at just 26-years-old, is currently the Wizards all-time franchise leader in 3-point field goals made. Signature shoes are for players that have once in a generation type of talent and are the faces of their franchise. Beal checks both boxes.
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If Nike gives Beal a signature shoe, it should have a DMV theme. With the DMV being a place like no other, them Beal 1’s would create a buzz like no other. Nike has the chance to show Beal that they are serious about him as a player and believe in him both on and off the court. I can’t name one fan in the DMV that wouldn’t buy a pair of Bradley Beal’s first signature shoe.