Nike Struggles with Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are the only NBA team without a Nike athlete in their starting lineup.

The NBA has grown into one of the world's most popular professional sports leagues. That is good news for sportswear giant Nike, who has a firm grip on the league.

Not only does the American company have an exclusive apparel contract with the NBA, but over 75% of NBA players wear Nike or Jordan Brand shoes on the court. It is impossible to watch a televised NBA game without seeing a flurry of Swoosh logos all over the broadcast.

However, Nike's control of the NBA does not extend to the league's most valuable franchise - the Golden State Warriors. According to Nick DePaula of ESPN, the Warriors have the only starting five in the league without a Nike athlete.

View of Stephen Curry's new shoes, the Curry Flow 10 'Sour Patch Kids.' / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The Warriors' starting lineup consists of Stephen Curry (Curry Brand), Andrew Wiggins (Peak), Draymond Green (Converse), along with Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney (Anta).

As others have pointed out, Nike owns converse. But it is still remarkable that in 2022, fans will not see a Nike shoe in the Warriors' starting lineup. Jordan Poole is a Nike athlete who is fond of Kobe Bryant's signature series but rarely starts despite logging almost 29 minutes per game.

Companies competing with Nike in the basketball world face an uphill battle. However, it should prove some solace to smaller brands that the world's largest sportswear company still struggles to gain a foothold within the Warriors locker room. Stay locked into FanNationKicks.com for all your footwear news.

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