Don’t tell Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. that the NBA Slam Dunk Contest is meaningless.
Days after winning said contest over Aaron Gordon in controversial fashion during NBA All-Star Weekend, Jones Jr. has earned a shoe deal with Puma.
“In the aftermath of his narrowly claimed slam dunk contest win, Jones Jr. signed a multiyear footwear and apparel endorsement deal with Puma, adding the 6-foot-6 high flier to a select group of NBA and WNBA athlete partners with the company,” ESPN’s Nick DePaula reported Monday.
Jones and Gordon put up two of the most-epic performances in the recent history of the contest before judges seemingly robbed Gordon of the title.
This is going to equate to a nice little pay day for a player in Jones who is averaging less than seven points per game throughout his four-year NBA career.
The 23-year-old wing also noted that he plans on defending his title next year in Indiana.
“As a kid, I told my father I was going to win one, and I got it,” he said. “So I’m going to go get another one next year.”
Good stuff.