Anunoby's Historic Skechers Win
OG Anunoby Becomes First NBA Champion to Win While Sporting Skechers Footwear
OG Anunoby has made NBA history — and so has Skechers. When the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 on June 13, 2026, Anunoby became the first player ever to win an NBA Championship wearing Skechers, according to The Observer. The Knicks claimed their first title in 53 years, ending a drought that stretched all the way back to 1973.
Anunoby averaged 21.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game in the Finals, shooting 52.5% from the field and 50% from three, per Edmonton Sun. Skechers, a brand once known mainly for lifestyle sneakers, now has a championship to its name after less than three years in performance basketball.
Knicks Win on a Historic Game 4 Comeback
The defining moment of the series came in Game 4 on June 10, 2026. Anunoby hit a game-winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds left, capping a 29-point comeback — the largest in NBA Finals history. He did it wearing the "NYC Blue" SKX Nexus PE, a Skechers player-exclusive colorway built specifically for him, according to Calgary Sun.
The Knicks won the series 4-1 over Victor Wembanyama's Spurs. Jalen Brunson won Finals MVP, but it was Anunoby's clutch performance — and his shoes — that captured the spotlight. San Antonio had led by double digits in every single game of the series, per The Province.
Skechers Went From Zero to Champion in Three Years
Skechers only entered the performance basketball market in October 2023, signing its first players — Julius Randle and Terance Mann. By mid-2026, the brand had grown its NBA and WNBA roster to over 12 athletes, including Joel Embiid and Jackie Young. Skechers officially signed Anunoby to a multi-year deal on July 24, 2025, according to Edmonton Examiner.
Anunoby had already gone viral in May 2025, when he posterized Derrick White in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals while wearing unannounced Skechers shoes. The brand had built buzz quietly before Anunoby's signing was ever made public. No player had ever appeared in an NBA Finals game in Skechers before 2026, per Sault This Week.
Brand Execs Call the Title a Watershed Moment
Skechers President Michael Greenberg praised Anunoby after the win. "OG has driven awareness and excitement," Greenberg said. "He embodies the spirit of not only Skechers Performance but the entire philosophy of Skechers." The brand confirmed it is now developing a signature shoe for Anunoby following his Finals performance, according to Chatham Daily News.
Anunoby also weighed in on the partnership. "Skechers has been an exceptional partner," he said. "They truly put care into building footwear that meets my needs. I feel like I'm part of the family." Skechers COO David Weinberg called the championship a "milestone moment" for the brand's credibility, per Recorder.
Retailers Sell Out as Skechers Eyes Nike's Turf
The on-court success sparked immediate consumer demand. Retailers reported Skechers basketball shoes were "selling out by the minute" during the Finals. Nike still outfits over two-thirds of the NBA, and Finals MVP Brunson wears Nike's Kobe line. But footwear analysts say Skechers is now positioned to compete for bigger shoe deals in the 2026 offseason, according to Hanna Herald.
The brand's rise has drawn comparisons to Walt "Clyde" Frazier's partnership with PUMA in the 1970s, which helped establish that brand in American basketball. Skechers leaned into New York's cultural identity with the "Foreman" PE — a Timberland-inspired wheat-colored shoe Anunoby debuted in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden — a move that earned the brand street credibility with local fans, per Mitchell Advocate.
Sentiment
NeutralPublishers
17
Articles
16
Reach
17
