This Saturday night, Milwaukee Bucks rising wing Andre Jackson Jr. is set to represent the team in the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend.
The youngster will compete against San Antonio's Stephon Castle, Chicago's Matas Buzelis and the G-League's Mac McClung. Between these four, there is no shortage of athleticism, speed and burst, so Jackson will have some stiff competition when he takes the floor. When he does that, he will now have some new shoes to showcase as well.
Milwaukee Bucks wing Andre Jackson Jr. inks shoe deal with Adidas
Sneaker aficionado Nick DePaula reports that Andre Jackson Jr. has signed a shoe deal with Adidas, giving the second-year wing a brand to represent him. Of course, the Milwaukee Bucks already have a major Adidas athlete on their roster in Damian Lillard, who signed a lifetime deal with the brand earlier this season. DePaula says Jackson will likely lace up some of Lillard's signature shoes in the contest.
Jackson has worn the Dame 9, the current iteration of Damian Lillard's signature sneaker, this season, but he's also worn several other models, including the Nike Kobe 5 and the Nike G.T. Cut 2. Now, he will be with the three stripes alongside his Bucks teammate Damian Lillard for the foreseeable future.
Adidas certainly wanted to get more eyes on their brand during the Dunk Contest, as all of the other contestants are with other brands. Buzelis is with Reebok, Castle is with Jordan Brand and McClung, currently the reigning back-to-back winner in the Dunk Contest, is with Puma. Now, Adidas has one of the most underrated high-flying athletes in the NBA today on their roster.
Best of luck to Andre Jackson Jr. as he represents the Milwaukee Bucks in the Slam Dunk Contest this Saturday night. The highly-anticipated contest tips off at 7 p.m. CT on TNT and truTV. Fans can also catch Damian Lillard in on the action Saturday night during the 3-Point Contest and then again on Sunday in the NBA All-Star Game itself.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will be sidelined from the game due to injury, as he has been out of the mix for the Milwaukee Bucks since February 2. While it was always a joy watching him compete in the big game as if it were any other NBA game, it's better that he's getting some needed rest.
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