DeMar DeRozan has been with Nike his entire NBA career. He has worn Kobe Bryant’s iconic Nike line throughout the course of his playing career. That’s not changing anytime soon. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the 13-year veteran is signing a new four-year deal with Nike.
DeRozan grew up in Compton, California as a Lakers fan. He played basketball at Compton High School before signing with USC. He loved wearing Kobe Bryant jerseys and Black Mamba shoes. Kobe finished his 13th season in the league before the Raptors selected DeRozan ninth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.
The Kobe 6s worn by @DeMar_DeRozan at the @DrewLeague today are inspired by the @WNBA’s orange hoody. pic.twitter.com/MQdw7uZYeZ
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) July 17, 2022
At the Drew League, the Bulls guard/forward was spotted wearing a pair of Nike Kobe 6 PE (Player Exclusives). The orange colorway on the sneakers resembles the orange and white WNBA hoodie that Kobe wore in 2019. It is unknown if the player exclusives will ever be sold to the general public.
DeMar DeRozan has more Nike Kobes than anyone else?
ESPN’s Nick DePaula explained, “Nearly 20 percent of NBA players have worn a Nike Kobe sneaker for a game since Bryant, along with his daughter, Gianna, and seven others died in a January 2020 helicopter crash.”
“During the 2019-20 season, 102 of the 322 total players competing in the league’s restart at Walt Disney World Resort wore a Kobe sneaker.”
In March, DeMar DeRozan told Joe La Puma, the creator and host of Sneaker Shopping, that he has ‘more Kobes than anyone else in the league.’ Fans should take his word for it.
.@DeMar_DeRozan says he has more Kobes than anyone else in the league 👀
FULL EPISODE: https://t.co/DGQdLID46P pic.twitter.com/3DNROG7Rak
— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) March 7, 2022
Last season, DeRozan averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game with the Bulls. Plus, he averaged 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. In addition to the statistics above, the forward/guard averaged 50.4% shooting from the field and 35.2% from 3-point range.
DeRozan received his fifth All-Star selection and second All-NBA Second-Team selection last season.
During the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, the five-time All-Star scored a playoff career-high 41 points in the Bulls’ 114-110 win over the Bucks in Game 2. However, the team went on to lose the series in five games. Other news stories related to DeMar DeRozan are on the main page.
