Nike's 'Prime Time' Blueprint Ready For Bo Jackson And Charles Barkley

In the current landscape of the social media world, we have become familiar with what is trending. Someone has an interesting idea that others gravitate towards and it booms. Before you know it, this results in us seeing that idea so frequently that it becomes almost normalized.

This is exactly what Deion Sanders started and other Nike legacies, who have a stake in their program or are coaching that program, should start to emulate. This trend is so completely synergistic that it seems almost ideal for all parties involved. Weeks after Sanders announced his move to take over at Colorado, 'Prime Time' and Nike were back together. Since that time, the Colorado Buffaloes have been outfitted in Sanders’ Diamond Turf line. Five different Diamond Turf 3s and two different Diamond Turf 1s have been worn by some of the Buffs teams in games.

This ‘tool’ used effectively is something Nike Legacies need to be aware of. After 19 years with Under Armour, Auburn has officially announced they will be a Nike program moving forward. The next step is to ensure Bo Jackson and Charles Barkley are represented the way Deion Sanders has been at Colorado from a gear standpoint.

Like Sanders, Jackson and Barkley have noteworthy signature lines that are viewed as cornerstones in the empire Nike built. Michael Jordan is the king of that empire, but it would be foolish to not see the legendary trio and others as the knights that sit at Jordan’s ‘round table,’ so to speak. Like Deion’s Diamond Turfs, Jackson’s SC Trainers and Barkley’s CB line are all still released in retro lines today. They are relevant and arguably the biggest ‘sneaker culture’ names Auburn has.

Nothing official needs to come from Auburn or Nike. If they are smart, they will follow Coach Prime’s lead and extend an invitation to Jackson and Barkley to be a part of this, even if the only thing they provide is their blessing. The only thing that needs to happen after that is Auburn basketball players playing in the CB line or Auburn football players working out in SC Trainers. 

While no 5-star prospect is likely to make his recruiting decision on a sneaker aspect alone, for a program like Auburn, it could be a contributing factor in winning some of those SEC recruiting battles.

This should also not stop with the elite of Nike’s signature athletes. When it comes to Nike Legacy athletes coaching or legacies to their program, everyone should be considered. Michael Vick, who was a signature athlete for Nike, is the head coach at Norfolk State. Eddie George was a Nike athlete and is the current Bowling Green head coach. DeSean Jackson recently took the job coaching at Delaware State. 

This is a ‘trend’ that should have no end in sight. This concept, first started by Sanders, presents a win-win opportunity for any Nike schools with athletes in influential positions.