An NBA franchise may tap a Nike exec as its next GM.
ESPN NBA reporter Tim MacMahon revealed via Twitter late yesterday that the Dallas Mavericks have had discussions with longtime Nike executive Nico Harrison about joining its front office. In a subsequent tweet, MacMahon stated the team has offered Harrison a front office leadership position, and that the Mavericks want him to work in tandem with Michael Finley, a former NBA star who now serves as its VP of basketball operations.
Also in the tweets, MacMahon made mention of Harrison’s strong relationships with the team’s potential next coach, Jason Kidd (who wore Nike on the court during his pro career), as well as several NBA players, including Luka Doncic, the Dallas star who is backed by Nike-owned Jordan Brand. (In a story filed to ESPN yesterday by MacMahon and NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Harrison was instrumental in Doncic’s shift from Nike to Jordan Brand in fall 2019.)
Throughout 2021, several Nike executives have defected from their longtime home in Beaverton, Ore., to assume roles elsewhere, with an emphasis on other major fashion and footwear companies.
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This year, the notable changes started with Blanca Gonzalez, a 20-year Nike veteran who joined Lululemon as its head merchant, SVP, global merchandising in January. Other major moves include Crocs hiring Emma Minto as its SVP and GM in February (a 16-year Nike veteran who last served as VP and GM of Nike Women’s in North America); Everlane tapping Sophie Bambuck, the former global VP of brand marketing for Nike Sportswear, as its first chief marketing officer in February; and Skip Potter, formerly the chief technology officer at Nike, joining Columbia Sportswear Co. as its EVP, chief digital information officer, in January (he assumed the role in April).
Sources: Mavs have offered Nike executive Nico Harrison a front office leadership position. Dallas wants him to work in tandem with Michael Finley.
Harrison and Finley are both close with Jason Kidd, who is expected to be the Mavs' next head coach. https://t.co/84xMgMqmmx
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 25, 2021
