Li-Ning Company Limited has officially entered into a long term endorsement agreement with Evan Turner, the 2010 recipient of the Naismith Award, the John Wooden Award and the Associated Press Men's College Basketball Player of the Year. Turner becomes the latest addition to Li-Ning's growing cast of global talent and expands the brand's NBA and East Coast presence. The versatile and multi-faceted guard/forward, headed to the Philadelphia 76ers next season, will join the Beijing-based sportswear company in its quest to create a family of world-class, all-star competitors.
"This is truly a game-changing moment for the Li-Ning brand," said Li-Ning's Brand Initiative Director for Basketball, Brian Cupps. "Adding a supreme young talent like Evan Turner sends a message to the global basketball community that Li-Ning basketball is committed to being a player on the global stage."
Turner, who played collegiately for the Ohio State Buckeyes, led the Big Ten Conference in scoring for two straight years averaging a near double-double in points and rebounds during his collegiate career. The Chicago native led the Buckeyes to a 2010 Big Ten Conference Championship and consecutive NCAA tournaments, including a sweet sixteen appearance.
"It's great to have the support of a company that's as eager as I am to perform at the highest level possible," said Turner. "I am excited to be part of a growing brand and to blaze a new path for future young ballplayers everywhere to follow."
General Manager for Li-Ning International, Jay Li, envisions a bright future for Turner. "We are thrilled to have another star representing Li-Ning," he said. "To compete and be relevant as a performance sports brand, you need representation of some of the world's best, and we know we're getting that in Evan Turner."
Specific financial terms of the multi-year contract were not disclosed. Turner however will be showcasing his own Li-Ning Sports signature footwear and apparel product line, available globally, beginning in the second year of this agreement. Turner will also play a major role in Li-Ning's global marketing plans beginning immediately.
Named after the iconic gymnast who brought home a record six medals from the 1984 Olympics, Li-Ning Company Limited was established in 1990 and has become one of the leading sports brand enterprises in China, possessing brand marketing, research and development, design, manufacturing, distribution and retail capabilities. Boasting over $1.2 billion in sales in 2009, Li-Ning USA is backed by a talented team of researchers, designers and developers that continue to set new trends in sport. Mr. Li Ning was voted one of the "World's Most Excellent Athletes in the 20th Century" by World Sports Correspondent Association and lit the torch at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in 2008.
