Luka Doncic Favored to Pick Under Armour as Next Shoe Deal; Nike +225, Adidas +400

• Luka Doncic is averaging 30.4 points per game this season, which is third in the NBA.
• Doncic is nearly averaging a triple-double as he’s as 9.9 rebounds per game and 9.3 assists per game.
• The Dallas Mavericks have won 17 of their first 24 games this season after winning just 33 all of last year.

Luka Doncic had an incredible rookie season, and he’s taken his game to the next level in Year Two. Doncic is now in the conversation for league MVP, blossoming as one of the league’s superstars.

As a result, it’s opened up the doors for a new shoe deal for him, but the question is which brand will he sign with?

Let’s take a closer look.

Luka Doncic Shoe Deal Odds

Odds taken Dec. 13. 

Putting Together an MVP-Caliber Campaign

The Dallas Mavericks were expecting to have a decent roster this season, one that could possibly contend for a playoff spot. What nobody expected was the rapid growth of Doncic, who is playing at an MVP level and has led this team to one of the best records in the NBA.

Entering Friday’s action, the Mavs are a healthy 17-7. Doncic is third in the NBA, averaging 30.4 points per game, but it’s not just his scoring that’s impressive. He’s nearly averaging a triple-double with 9.9 rebounds (13th in the NBA) with 9.3 assists (second). He has the league’s second-best PER at 32.19.

With him playing a superstar level, he’s become a hot commodity as a free agent on the shoe market. A number of the big brands are clamoring to sign him, so he’ll have a big decision to make in the near future.

Marketable Star Power

Remember that Doncic is a free agent in the sneaker market because his two-year deal with Nike expired just before the season started. He’s an international star as he finished second behind LeBron James in All-Star voting last season and has more than 3.4 million followers on Instagram.

Many of these shoe brands are looking for someone that can reach a broader audience than just North America and Doncic can do exactly that. He’s arguably the most popular European player in the league right now, which means he can tap into that market.

Will Doncic Stick With Nike?

Does Doncic want Nike and does Nike want Doncic? The question goes both ways as Nike’s roster is already loaded with LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Paul George. However, they balked at Stephen Curry, which was clearly a mistake, but they’ve still survived.

This is likely Doncic’s top choice as he’s clearly shown an affinity to the brand, signing with Nike even though Real Madrid mostly worked with Adidas at the time. He’s been mostly wearing Nike’s this season – even though the deal expired. Does Nike want to make him one of the signature guys, though?

Jordan Brand Is On Fire

It’s been a really strong start to the season for Jordan Brand as they stunned a lot of people by signing Zion Williamson. Not only that, the Air Jordan 34 is widely lauded as one of the best shoes on the market right now.

They’ve signed a lot of young guys like Jayson Tatum and Rui Hachimura, so this spot might make sense in that regard. Doncic could headline the roster. It’s still part of the Nike family and Doncic has been known to be a big fan of Michael Jordan too.

Under Armour Is Probably the Best Bet

Although it’s quite clear that Doncic likes Nike, don’t be surprised if Under Armour swoops in here. This is a brand that needs to turn around a losing streak (2019 was a rough year for them) and signing Doncic would probably do exactly that. The key here is their offer will probably be the most lucrative and we know that money talks.

Doncic has worn the Under Armour Curry 7 sneakers a few times this season and Steph Curry has openly tried to recruit him. We’d likely see some fun campaigns with Joel Embiid, Doncic and Curry together. I still think their financial offer will be the greatest, which is why I’d bet on him signing with Under Armour.