At this moment, Li-Ning isn’t on the level of adidas or Nike in the shoe world. And at this moment, CJ McCollum isn’t on the level of LeBron James or Stephen Curry in the basketball world. But both are quickly rising in their respective arenas, so a partnership makes sense for each side.
Nick DePaula of ESPN highlights the Blazers guard’s switch from Nike to the Chinese basketball brand this summer:
"I was looking for a unique opportunity to go where I was wanted," said McCollum. "Similar to college with different universities, there needs to be a mutual admiration.