Warriors' DeMarcus Cousins Officially Signs With Puma, Nike Declined To Match: Report

Golden State Warriors All-Star DeMarcus Cousins is now officially part of the Puma family after Nike declined to match their offer.

Cousins was previously with Nike until his deal expired and ESPN's Nick DePaula reported earlier this month that he had signed a multiyear offer sheet from Puma.

With Nike having a standard "match clause" that gave them 10 business days to exercise their match rights, they have since declined according to DePaula, who on Wednesday announced Cousins' Puma deal was now official.

DePaula adds that Puma, who are making a comeback with basketball shoes after nearly 20 years, have essentially signed their biggest name with Cousins who is now the face of the brand.

He will be wearing the new Puma Clyde Court Disrupt shoes once he's cleared to return to action, as he continues his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon. The 28-year-old is also expected to wear the brand's upcoming new basketball model for spring 2019.

DePaula noted earlier this month that Cousins also holds the rights to his own "DMC" logo and can have it on his shoes if he prefers.

It's easy to see why Nike failed to match the offer as well as why Puma initially went ahead with the offer.

For Nike, big men in the NBA don't traditionally sell a lot of shoes, and while Cousins is arguably the best center in the league, nobody knows whether he'll be the same player when he returns from injury, especially considering it's an Achilles injury which has hampered many sports stars in the past.

As for Puma, despite the uncertainty that comes with Cousins, he is still a big name in the league. And having joined an already-stacked Warriors side on a one-year deal earlier this summer, their shoes will more than likely be displayed later on in the playoffs, where the reigning champions are expected to complete a threepeat this season.

And if Cousins returns to the same dominant force that he was with the Sacramento Kings and the New Orleans Pelicans, it will be an added boost.

Cousins now joins a host of names that Puma have signed recently.

The sportswear company also signed this year's top draft picks in Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton and Kings forward Marvin Bagley III, as well as other rookies such as Kevin Knox, Michael Porter Jr. and Zhaire Smith.

In addition, they also boast more experienced players like Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier and San Antonio Spurs forward Rudy Gay.

According to ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell, rapper Jay-Z is the company's creative director as Puma seem to be making plenty of moves.

Cousins is a four-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA selection who will likely feature in the playoffs for the first time this season. He averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the 48 games he played for the Pelicans last season before suffering his season-ending injury.