*By Michael Teich*
Puma’s integration of music and fashion could be the key to the resurgence of its basketball division, said former ESPN host Bram Weinstein in an interview with Cheddar.
“It’s the one sport that really has a symbiotic relationship with pop culture.”
The athletic brand has inked deals with projected number one overall pick Deandre Ayton, in addition to standout players Marvin Bagley III and Zhaire Smith, but the addition of music mogul JAY-Z might be what gives Puma an edge over rival Nike. Weinstein said that if Nike does not transition from marketing that focuses solely on fitness, it could be a “miss” for them.
“This is a lifestyle thing. This is not necessarily about who’s scoring the most points,” Weinstein said.
Despite signing three of the last number one overall picks in the NBA Draft, Nike has yet to announce a new deal with a prospect from the 2018 draft, which takes place on June 21. Adidas has signed deals with Trae Young and Lonnie Walker IV. Puma has not had a deal with an NBA player since Vince Carter in 1998.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/pumas-full-court-press-on-nike-and-adidas).
Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish soccer federation, announced his resignation in an interview with Piers Morgan after he faced backlash over a kiss he gave to Spanish soccer star Jenni Hermoso following the team's World Cup final win.
Michigan State University suspended football Mel Tucker without pay after reports he allegedly sexually harassed an activist last year.
Novak Djokovic has won the U.S. Open for his 24th Grand Slam title by using every ounce of his energy and some serve-and-volley guile to get past Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the final in New York.
Diede de Groot has won her 12th straight Grand Slam wheelchair singles title. She beat Yui Kamiji on Sunday in the U.S. Open women’s final.
Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso during the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia. The player said it was without her consent.
Gauff is the first American teenager to win the country’s major tennis tournament since Serena Williams in 1999.
The Lions walked into roaring Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, where the Kansas City Chiefs are nearly unbeatable and were trying to open their latest Super Bowl title defense with a win, and proved what Detroit coach Dan Campbell has come to know in turning around the long downtrodden franchise.
Spanish soccer star Jenni Hermoso said a kiss from federation president Luis Rubiales after the team's World Cup win was sexual assault.
Because tennis balls are extremely hard to recycle and the industry has yet to develop a ball to make that easier, nearly all of the 330 million balls made worldwide each year eventually get chucked in the garbage, with most ending up in landfills.
“You cannot imagine," he said. "One player (is) gonna die, and they’re gonna see.”
