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The opportunities that open up after signing an NBA contract are amazing. One of the biggest things that come from putting your name on that piece of paper, for those lucky or marketable enough, are the possibility of endorsement contracts.
After the ink dries on a team contract, the sneaker endorsement is what is what many rookies look forward to the most coming into the league. It seems that most NBA freshman fall into one of two categories when picking a shoe company to sign with: some take the one with the biggest money behind it while others go with the brand they like better at the time.
As the start of the this NBA season closes in, we take a look at the sneaker brands that Every Brand That NBA Rookies Signed With This Year.
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Images via The Washington Post & Getty Images
Anthony Bennett
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 1
Since establishing dominance in the basketball realm, Nike has made the habit of going after the player taken #1 in the NBA Draft. While not confirmed, it seems that Anthony Bennett is set to follow suite.
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Images via Sports Illustrated
Victor Oladipo
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 2
Predicted by many as the safe selection for NBA Rookie of the Year, evidence that Victor Oladipo had signed an endorsement deal with Jordan Brand was quickly removed along with the social media footprints.
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Images via Getty Images
Otto Porter
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 3
Otto Porter Jr came from Georgetown, so since he is already more than acquainted with hooping in Jordans, it wouldn't be so surprising to see him lace up Jumpman kicks in the NBA.
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Images via Sports Illustrated & NBAE
Cody Zeller
Signed with: Jordan Brand
Draft Position: 4
Cody Zeller is one of the better players the Bobcats have drafted (and kept) in their brief NBA history under that name; especially if they really change their name back to the Hornets. Zeller is proof that white men can jump(man) since he now will be rolling in Jordans as long as he is active on the Charlotte roster.
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Images via Baltimore Sun/Lloyd Fox & AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
Alex Len
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 5
After playing at the University of Maryland, it would be understandable that Alex Len has become so acclimated to the amazing Micro G foam cushioning that Under Armour provides that he would rep Team Armour during his NBA debut. That is not the case however as he has been seen going to-and-from physical therapy in Nike and Air Jordan.
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Nerlans Noel
Signed with: Reebok
Draft Position: 6
After falling lower in the draft than expected, Nerlans Noel made another surprise move signing with Reebok. The Vector brand has taken time off from their performance basketball line for a complete overhaul while focusing on their Classics division. It is likely Noel will be the face of the brand in the NBA moving forward.
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Images via NBAE & Sports Illustrated
Ben McLemore
Signed with: adidas
Draft Position: 7
In his very brief NCAA career at Kansas due to ineligibility that came from high school transcript problems, Ben McLemore wore adidas. Whether his signing with the Stripes was a result of alleged prompting from an AAU coach remains to be seen, but ever since the Sacramento Kings media day, McLemore has been wearing Nike with a steady supply of Kobes. adidas has told us that he is contracted with them, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
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Images via USA Today/Joshua Lindsey & NBAE
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 8
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has made it very clear that he will only wear Nikes or Jordans. He's said this several times so it is safe to say that he will only be wearing kicks under the Swoosh umbrella even without an endorsement.
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Images via Sports Illustrated
Trey Burke
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 9
While at Michigan, Trey Burke was all adidas everything, but those days seem to be over. Throughout the NBA Summer League, Burke wore Nike to media day.
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Images via AP Photo/Joe Mahoney & NBAE
CJ McCollum
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 10
As the first freshman Player of the Year in the Patriot League at Lehigh, McCollum is one of the scarce few breakout NCAA players to stay in school all four years earning a Journalism degree. McCollum wore the Lunar Hyperdunk 2012 when he dropped 30 in the Lehigh win against Duke in the 2012 NCAA D1 tournament.
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Images via US Presswire & Getty Images/David Dow
Michael Carter-Williams
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 11
After going thru another team rebuild, the Philadelphia 76ers drafted combo-guard Michael Carter-Williams. MCW was a great utility player at Syracuse last season averaging over 7 assists & over 2 steals a game to have the 5th & 4th most in the NCAA for those respective statistics.
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Images via adidas
Steven Adams
Signed with: adidas
Draft Position: 12
Steven Adams has been playing professional basketball over in New Zealand since he was a teenager, so this Rookie of the Year had big expectations. It would be fair to say that adidas generally has a bigger following overseas than in the US right now, so Adams signing with the Stripes shouldn't come as a shock.
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Images via The Spokesman-Review/Jesse Tinsley & NBAE
Kelly Olynyk
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 13
Probably the most talked about rookie after a great basketball display during the NBA Summer League, Kelly Olynyk joins Kris Humphries in Boston to form an athletic 4-spot tandem. Don't be surprised if Olynyk ends up in the starting rotation and is apart of Rookie of the Year conversations.
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Images via Getty Images/Jonathan Daniel & Alex Young
Shabazz Muhammad
Signed with: adidas
Draft Position: 14
This year has been full of ups and downs for Shabazz Muhammad. Though he's young as a 20-year-old in the NBA, the public eye might take it's toll. After a decent showing towards the end of the NBA Summer League, attention is guaranteed to be on Muhammad and his potential-filled Timberwolves team.
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Images via FIBA Europe & NBAE
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 15
Unlike a lot of young players who get drafted into the NBA from overseas, Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking to get immediate play instead of just having their playing rights held onto by a team while they develop their game at home.
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Images via NBAE
Dennis Schroeder
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: 17
Dennis Schroeder seems to be in the latest and greatest Nike though he's been playing professionally in Germany prior to the draft. It's likely for Schroeder to turn into one of those players who makes an immediate impact, sure to earn PE sneakers in the near future.
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Images via AP Photo/John Raoux & NBAE
Phil Pressey
Signed with: Nike
Draft Position: undrafted
It's unclear whether or not Phil Pressey has a Nike endorsement. What is clear however is that Rajon Rondo is completely done with Nike as Pressey isn't the only Celtics player to wear a Rondo PE.
RELATED: The Complete Tech History of LeBron James Signature Sneakers
RELATED: The 10 Best Basketball Sneakers of 2013 (So Far)