Marvin Bagley III and the loyalty game: How sneaker dollars transformed youth basketball
The Swoosh Effect: First in an occasional series
Jeff Manning and Brad Schmidt | The Oregonian/OregonLive
In a normal year, one of the biggest stories of the NCAA Tournament would be freshman sensation Marvin Bagley III.
The prospect of Bagley's last hurrah as a Duke Blue Devil and ascent to the NBA would be near-perfect fodder for the myth-makers at Nike. Bagley has been a part of the Nike system for nearly three years, starting when he was 16.
But this is far from a normal year. March Madness is overshadowed by an ongoing scandal that has toppled seven coaches and agents and cast a pall over two of Oregon's marquee companies, Nike and Adidas.
Adidas, which has its North American headquarters in Portland, found itself at ground zero after two company representatives were indicted on allegations they paid to steer recruits to Adidas-affiliated schools. Jim Gatto and Merl Code have pleaded not guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges.
It has been widely reported that Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League has been subpoenaed in connection with the federal investigation, but none of the footwear companies has been charged in the alleged conspiracy. Backed by Nike money, the league now competes with local high schools for the best players and coaches.
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