New Balance has just added Aaron Nesmith, a 2020 first-round pick playing his first season with the Boston Celtics, to its basketball roster of athletes.
The move makes Nesmith the latest addition to a New Balance Basketball roster that includes Kawhi Leonard, Darius Bazley, Dejounte Murray and Jamal Murray. Nesmith’s addition is the latest as New Balance continues to grow its roster in a steady and calculated manner.
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“I was super excited for the opportunity. I’ve been following them for a little while,” Nesmith told CBS Sports in an exclusive interview. “The cool stuff they’re doing with guys like Kawhi Leonard, Dejounte Murray and they just got Jamal Murray. So I was very excited to join that family, get things started and do something different.”
Nesmith, who’s originally from Charleston, South Carolina and was selected No. 14 overall by the Celtics in this past NBA Draft, has been wearing New Balance kicks on the court for some time now. He’s laced up the New Balance OMN1S, the sneaker that relaunched the brand back into the basketball world, while also making frequent use of newer models like the KAWHI and the Two WXY.
The Two WXY is New Balance’s latest basketball sneaker and has been the focal point of guys like Bazley and Dejounte and Jamal Murray this season. That’s also one of the shoes that stood out to Nesmith as he got to lace them up.
“I’m a big fan of the Two WXY,” Nesmith said. “The idea behind them is being a two-way player and that’s the kind of player I want to be, and if I’m wearing those shoes it helps add to the story and helps me continue to reach that goal.”
In addition to the latest technology New Balance has to offer, what makes the Two WXY such a coveted sneaker for the New Balance athletes is the ease in which the shoe lends itself to different designs and colorways. The brand has collaborated with its players this season to help produce player exclusive versions of the Two WXY that tell their stories through the designs.
Getting some of those PEs in hand is something Nesmith can’t hide his excitement about.
“I’m excited to tell my story. How I grew up, the things that I like, what helped me get where I am today,” Nesmith said. “The way the basketball world works, everyone looks at your shoes first, so to be able to tell your story through your shoes is a very cool thing, and New Balance helps us do that.”
The boxes of sneaker shipments will continue to come for Nesmith now that he’s officially part of the New Balance family. He’ll also get his fair share of time with some of the best designers the brand has to offer in order to get to tell his story through his sneakers.
The New Balance deal, being drafted into the NBA and playing for one of the most storied franchise’s in league history have all come together for Nesmith during an uneasy time, but he says all that’s done is put things into perspective.
“It’s a dream come true,” Nesmith said. “I’m just constantly excited to keep working. I’m excited for what the future holds.”
With New Balance being official partners with the Celtics, Nesmith is also the perfect addition to the Shamrock Foundation’s The Playbook Initiative, a program started by the team during the 2016-17 season. The Playbook Initiative’s focus is to inspire a dialogue on race, religion, gender, disability and sexual orientation, and ultimately equip children with tools to intervene in challenging social situations.
Nesmith will serve as a mentor for The Celtics Foundation Playbook Initiative.
“Giving back to the game and the community is really important to me. When I learned about The Playbook Initiative I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” Nesmith said. “I’m so excited to work with the Celtics and New Balance to grow this incredible program working to end discrimination and help educate the next generation.”
The Vanderbilt product has been a key reserve for the Celtics this season and as the squad prepares for another playoff run, you’ll see Nesmith lace up nothing but New Balance heat.