While the Boston Celtics are on the verge of their 18th NBA title, Jaylen Brown is nearing a feat not seen in several generations. He could be the first player in at least 45 years to win the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award without a shoe deal.
Brown is a three-time All-Star, the reigning Eastern Conference finals MVP and was voted onto the All-NBA second team last season. That honor helped him land the biggest contract in NBA history (well, for the time being).
But the Celtics wing still doesn’t have a signature shoe or endorsement deal with any sneaker company.
Sneaker deals are a rite of passage in the league, and certainly for its top players. Who else wins an MVP award than some of the best players in the league? Michael Jordan has six. LeBron James has four. Kobe Bryant, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant each have two.
Those stars all had shoe deals and their own signature lines. Others who have had the award had simple endorsement deals. Brown has nothing, and with the Celtics holding a 3-0 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks, he is seen as the favorite to win finals MVP.
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Jaylen Brown could win NBA Finals MVP. He’d make history — but not how you think
