Joel Embiid is getting paid.
The 76ers star signed a five-year shoe deal with Under Armour and according to ESPN, the endorsement's value will make him the highest-paid center in the NBA.
Embiid was spotted by the Inquirer's Keith Pompey wearing Under Armour sneakers at practice in late September. Previously, Embiid's contract had been with adidas.
"My contract with adidas officially ends up on the 30th," Embiid said at the time. "Just trying new shoes. I'm a free agent. So I'm just a trying new shoes, but there's contract negotiations and we're pretty close."
ESPN says Embiid, 24, officially committed to Under Armour on Sept. 28 _ Sixers media day _ and was wearing Under Armour sneakers at the event.
The center, according to ESPN, was "heavily courted" by New Balance and Puma, but chose Under Armour after the company promised to build custom shoes and agreed to donate to charities in the Philadelphia area and in Embiid's native Cameroon. There's also the chance Embiid could release his own apparel and sneakers.
The Sixers star was one of the top "sneaker free agents" this offseason.
"There's a stereotype about big men that can't sell shoes. When I look at myself, I'm not a big man; I'm a guard," Embiid told ESPN. "I can do everything on the basketball court. You can name it _ pass, post up, shoot the ball, bring the ball up, being a playmaker _ so I'm excited to break that stereotype. I can't wait to do so much more with Under Armour."
Embiid is coming off a season in which he averaged 22.9 points per game and earned all-star honors.
The Sixers season begins next week with a Tuesday 8 p.m. tipoff against the Celtics in a playoff rematch in Boston. The Sixers open at home on Thursday with the Bulls.
