US footwear maker Skechers USA Inc. is setting its sights on the next global team sport. A few weeks after its debut in professional football, the company has now introduced its first basketball shoes. The models, called SKX Resagrip and SKX Float, will be sold in select markets starting next week, Skechers announced Wednesday.
After the company was able to win Harry Kane from FC Bayern Munich, a world-class professional, as a figurehead for its football products, it is also relying on well-known support in basketball. With Julius Randle from the New York Knicks and Terance Mann from the Los Angeles Clippers, Skechers signed two prominent players from the North American professional league NBA as brand ambassadors. Both will wear Skechers shoes in the new NBA season and represent the label in the associated marketing campaign, the company said.
Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, explained the brand’s latest expansion move: “Following our recent entry into soccer, Skechers now offers high-performance footwear for athletes competing in the world’s two largest sports,” he said in a statement. “This is the beginning of a long-term investment in the sport of basketball. There will be further partnerships with players, which is crucial to our growth strategy and vision.”
To launch the new category, Skechers is focusing on the world’s three largest basketball retail markets, the USA, China and the Philippines, explained Greenberg. However, there are already plans to “expand into other regions in the future”.