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Men's Basketball

Former Syracuse commit Darius Bazley signs endorsement deal with New Balance

Matthew Gutierrez | Senior Staff Writer

Darius Bazley has decided to pass up on the G-league, the initial reason he chose not to attend Syracuse.

Once-Syracuse top recruit Darius Bazley has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with New Balance, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times. The deal is worth a guaranteed $1 million and could reach up to $14 million.

Bazley will also complete a three-month internship from January through March with the shoe company, working with the company’s marketing, digital and footwear departments, Stein added.

A five-star recruit in the Class of 2018, Bazley originally decommitted from Syracuse to join the G League, a developmental league for the NBA.

After signing with NBA agent Rich Paul, who also represents LeBron James, Bazley decided to skip the G League as a whole, instead training toward the 2019 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward is reportedly working with former NBA player and current Memphis assistant coach Mike Miller, according to Stein.



Bazley is projected to go as high as the late-first round and as low as the mid-second round in multiple mock drafts.





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