Lauri Markkanen signs multiyear endorsement deal with Nike

Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with Nike Monday.

Markkanen took to Twitter to announce the news and said that Nike’s were the first type of basketball shoes he remembers wearing.

Markkanen was selected No. 7 overall by the Timberwolves in June, but the Bulls acquired him through a trade deal involving Jimmy Butler.

The Finland native played one season for the University of Arizona, averaging 15.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Markkanen scored 576 points during his rookie season last year, which were the most by a freshman in the Wildcat’s history.

Markkanen is just one of seven 2017 NBA draftees who recently signed with Nike. Kings’ De’Aaron Fox, 76ers’ Markelle Fultz and Celtics’ Jayson Tatum are three others who headline the next generation of Nike Basketball. Others include4 Malik Monk, Bam Adebayo, Harry Giles and Jonathan Issac.

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