Cade Cunningham Signs Multiyear Deal With Nike

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State fans witnessed first-hand this past season just how good Cade Cunningham is at basketball. Well, the world’s top shoe brand is jumping in as it was announced Tuesday morning Cunningham had inked a multiyear deal with Nike.

"More than anything, they show that athletes are more than just athletes," Cunningham told ESPN. "They really put the right message out for people to see. That was important to me. ... I felt like it was a perfect match for me."

It’s reported Cunningham also tested out shoes from Adidas, Converse, Li-Ning and Puma during his pre-draft workouts before sticking with Nike.

Wearing Nike at Oklahoma State, and at nearly every stop prior to Stillwater, there won’t be a lot of change for Cunningham, other than the rather large financial boost.

"We all can tell a Nike commercial as soon as they come on," he said. "Those things matter to me, and I want to be associated with a brand like that."

Cunningham helped lead the Pokes to an NCAA tournament berth in 2020-21 and their first tournament win since 2009 and a 77-75 win over Tennessee. He averaged 20.1 points on 43.8% shooting, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game as a freshman, which led to him being tabbed the program’s first Associated Press First Team All-American, and just the second OSU player to be named a consensus first-team All-American.

He was tabbed the Big 12 Plyer of the Year, as well as the Freshman of the Year, and earned the Wayman Tisdale Award for the top freshman in college basketball.

The 2021 NBA Draft is set to take place Thursday evening and Cunningham is being projected as the No. 1 overall pick to the Detroit Pistons.