Duke University star Zion Williamson had a rough time during the most highly anticipated college basketball game of the year on Wednesday night, but Nike may be in for an even tougher time.
The company came under fire when Williamson, an 18-year-old basketball phenom who is expected to be the top pick in the upcoming NBA draft, hurt his knee just 33 seconds into the Blue Devil’s matchup against their storied rivals, the North Carolina Tar Heels.
As Williamson controlled the ball during a routine play in the opening minute of the game, his left foot came tearing out of his white and blue Nike shoe. Williamson’s right knee bent awkwardly and sent the 285-lb. player crumbling to the floor in pain. Replays of the injury show his left foot sticking entirely out of the shoe, which came apart at the outside portion of the sole.
The incident quickly took the air out of the much-hyped contest that saw tickets prices reach thousands of dollars on ticket reselling websites, largely because Williamson was set to participate. Even Barack Obama — wearing a No. 44 bomber jacket — was on the sidelines for the game, and cameras caught the former president shouting, “his shoe broke!” when the Blue Devils star fell.
“Zion Williamson seems like an outstanding young man as well as an outstanding basketball player,” Obama tweeted after the game.
: Ayesha Curry Reveals the Parenting Rule She and Her NBA Star Husband Steph Break Most Often
“Wishing him a speedy recovery,” he added.
Williamson was later diagnosed with a mild knee sprain and would not return the rest of the night. Duke went on to lose to North Carolina 88-72.
People quickly took to social media after the incident to blast the popular shoemaker, and many saw it as a chance for Nike’s competitors to capitalize on the embarrassment.
: Former President Obama Hilariously Teases NBA Star Steph Curry About His ‘Ankle Struggles’
In a statement released later that night, Nike said they are currently looking to “identify the issue” that caused Williamson’s shoe to fall apart.
“The quality and performance of our products are of utmost importance,” Nike said in a statement, according to ESPN. “While this is an isolated occurrence, we are working to identify the issue.”
The company also another embarrassing incident in 2017 when its NBA jerseys ripped easily during games. On Thursday morning, Nike shares dipped about 1.6 points.
Source: Read Full Article