Puma has made a major impression this summer as it’s worked to get back into the basketball footwear game. The company has announced that a number of players have joined its roster of players — ranging from high-profile rookies like Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley to veterans like Terry Rozier and Rudy Gay.
On Friday, Puma announced its newest hoops partnership, one that goes beyond a handful of select NBA players. The company announced that it has entered into an agreement with the WNBA to become one of the league’s official footwear partners.
The new partnership will be celebrated at the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday afternoon, when one of the league’s biggest stars will debut a pair of Puma kicks. Dallas Wings guard Skylar Diggins-Smith will rock Clyde Court Disrupts, a vibrant sneaker that the company announced last month. Set to come out later this year, Diggins-Smith will not just wear them on Saturday — they’ll be her go-to kicks for the rest of the WNBA season.
“PUMA became a permanent thread in the fabric of basketball culture when they partnered with the legend, Clyde Frazier,” Diggins-Smith said in a release. “PUMA not only has foresight, they are fearless trailblazers that walk the walk alongside their partners. I’m proud to be part of a family and a brand that supports the WNBA and all the strength, independence, athleticism, individuality and feminism we represent.”
It’s the latest in what has been a series of aggressive moves by Puma to try and reclaim a spot among the giants of the basketball sneaker universe. Time will tell if it works or not, but one thing’s for sure: If they can’t do that, it won’t be for a lack of trying.
