Puma signs draft prospect Marvin Bagley III to a five-year deal

Puma is back in the NBA.

The company signed a five-year deal with rookie Marvin Bagley III.

Per ESPN, Top NBA draft prospect Marvin Bagley III has signed a five-year footwear and apparel endorsement deal with Puma, ESPN has confirmed with multiple sources Thursday.

As part of a plan to aggressively relaunch its basketball footwear business, Bagley was expected to be a featured athlete in several upcoming category and brand global initiatives.

News of an imminent contract was first reported by The Athletic.

Puma will also plan to sign additional rookies in the 2018 draft, before turning their sights toward signing several established players that have existing shoe deals expiring later this fall. 

It is the first NBA shoe deal for the brand since Puma had signed high-flyer Vince Carter two decades ago after the 1998 NBA draft. Carter's 10-year, $50 million deal was short-lived, as the two sides parted ways during the middle of just his second season.