The last big news about a Kevin Durant endorsement deal was his re-signing with Nike and deciding not to take a multimillion dollar offer from Under Armour. Recently, another big brand successfully signed Durant.
In a report by TMZ.com, reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant recently signed a contract with Neff, a top snow and skate apparel brand, to launch an underwear line. The company is known for signing star athletes and celebrities such as Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa and Richard Sherman.
Shaun Neff, founder of the company, told TMZ, "We've met several times. He's very involved, especially in the creative process and marketing."
In perfect timing with back-to-school shopping sprees, Neff told The Associated Press that the brand will feature Durant's underwear collection in 2015.
For a while, Neff has been aiming to expand into the underwear market. According to him, the idea of a partnership was borne out of a flight with Jay Brown, co-founder of Roc Nation. He met with Durant and his representatives from Roc Nation and the two parties came to an agreement.
Neff said in a report by NESN, "We just thought that this was a category that was literally overlooked. No one's really put a stylized element to it. What we're working on is, 'How can we brand this, put some style and flavor and fashion in the underwear game while being comfortable?'"
Michael Yormark, president of Roc Nation, said, "Whatever Kevin is a part of, he wants to be authentic. In order for it to be authentic, he needs to be a part of it, and he needs to be involved, and there needs to be full collaboration so that if he puts his name on something, it's truly been influenced and inspired by KD himself."
Compared to other Neff endorsement contracts, Durant's deal will be unique because he will own part of the new line. The underwear line is set to launch in the summer of 2015. He will primarily be brand ambassador and will also actively take part in designing the products.
Yormark said that Durant's recent deals usually involve giving him equity in the business. His contract Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt also provided him with equity in the company. Yormark said, "It's consistent with the type of partnerships and platforms we're trying to create with KD now. It's not just a traditional transaction, but it goes much deeper than that as it relates to a full collaboration between the parties."