New York Knicks big man Julius Randle revealed why he departed from the shoe giant Nike, opting instead to sport a less conventional shoe brand for the upcoming 2023-24 NBA season.

During the team's media day, the 28-year-old was spotted rocking basketball shoes from Skechers, a brand mainly associated with lifestyle and running shoes.

Speaking about the move, the two-time NBA All-Star explained the reason behind the shift, calling it bigger than basketball.

"The opportunity to not only kinda trail-blaze a new shoe that's coming into the basketball game but opportunity to build with Skechers, do things outside the box that I might not get a chance to do at Nike or a Jordan," the 2021 NBA Most Improved Player stated.

The former Kentucky player recognized the significant potential of Skechers, acknowledging their position as the fourth-largest shoe brand globally.

He noted their established market presence in the lifestyle category and their current efforts to expand into a different consumer base, such as sports.

Other Skechers athletes

In the NBA, apart from Randle, Los Angeles Clippers forward Terrence Mann is also among the company's endorsers.

The 26-year-old was seen wearing Skechers shoes during practices and media day.

On the other hand, Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane also inked a boot deal with the brand, which is reported to be a lifetime agreement.