There is a reason why Jordan Brand’s sales have hit the $7 billion mark. To continue the momentum, Michael Jordan’s brand has succeeded in building a historical move for the NCAA athletes. After missing out on Nike school-affiliated (Duke) player Cooper Flagg, the brand did not make that mistake again.
Signing the Branch brothers from USC made them the first Nike football NIL athletes. As per Nick DePaula, Zion Branch and Zachariah Branch have signed a multi-year NIL deal. The news dropped after the reports stated that Duke freshman Cooper Flagg chose a rival brand instead of Jordan.
The projected #1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft signed a multi-year shoe deal with New Balance, even though, earlier this year, he was supposedly the favorite to be a Jordan Brand athlete. Additionally, the young star was flaunting his Jordan footwear during a photoshoot. But, the speculation can be laid to rest as the 17-year-old chooses New Balance, whose manufacturing facility is just 25 miles from his home in Newport, Maine.
The freshman has a higher NIL value than the brothers combined. The Branch brothers have a combined NIL value of $612k with Zion at $225k and Zachariah at $387k. Cooper Flag currently is #1 in NIL deals for basketball players with $1.4 million. Even though their valuation might be lesser now, still they have managed to join an esteemed list.
Branch brothers feel honored with the Michael Jordan brand
The Branch brothers are represented by Excel Sports Management and have partnered with multiple sponsorship campaigns, which include C4 Energy, Gillette, and Honey Stinger. As per the company, the Jordan deal is “top tier” for the twins.
Currently, the Michael Jordan brand signed 17 football players, including Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Zachariah Branch, a wide receiver himself, called it a “huge blessing.”
“It’s just an honor to be chosen since there’s only a select few that go through this with Jordan Brand. We’re making history… Jordan is the standard; he’s greatness. We’re excited about it and super grateful for the opportunity,” the WR and return specialist said in an interview with Sportico. His twin brother too was excited but kept his words short.
“We’ve always held ourselves to a certain standard on and off the field. Nothing really changes,” said Zion Branch. Although they have signed with the Michael Jordan brand, they won’t be able to sport their new Jordan merchandise on the field. As stated earlier, USC is a Nike school, which means the player has to exclusively wear the Swoosh rather than the Jumpman logo.
Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.