Klay Thompson, Anta Reportedly Agree to 10-Year, $80M Endorsement Contract
June 30, 2017
Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson and Anta reportedly have agreed to a new 10-year endorsement deal.
Per NiceKicks.com's Nick DePaula, Thompson's new contract with Anta will run through 2026 and could pay him up to $80 million with various incentives as part of the agreement.
The new deal with Anta reportedly offers Thompson a substantial raise from his previous agreement, which KNBR's Jake Montero noted was paying him approximately $3 million per year.
Even though Anta is still a growing brand in the United States, Thompson said in DePaula's report the China-based manufacturer appealed to him after hearing about it from another former NBA All-Star.
"I didn't know much about Anta," Thompson said. "One of my agent's clients, Rajon [Rondo], was with them, and he said this brand had incredible potential and that the Chinese market, as well, was something that I could really dive into."
Per Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes, Michael Jordan still owns the NBA's richest shoe deal at $110 million per year. Thompson's $8 million average annual value puts him in a tie for ninth with Dwyane Wade's deal with Li-Ning and Kyrie Irving's pact with Nike.
Thompson has become one of the NBA's biggest stars in his six seasons with the Warriors. He's a three-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion, and he was named to the All-NBA third team in 2015 and 2016.