Nike stock down after sneaker explodes on basketball player

Nike stock has fallen by as much as 2% after a sneaker exploded and injured a star US college basketball player. The incident has been a public relations problem for the shoe company.

How did a Nike sneaker injure an athlete?

Nike has a contract with the US college Duke University for the athletes to wear their shoes. During a basketball game, forward and National Basketball Association (NBA) top prospect, Zion Williamson, was wearing the PG 2.5 sneakers when he slipped on the floor and his shoe split in half. Williamson then twisted his knee, fell, and missed the rest of the game. While the knee injury wasn’t as serious as feared, investors sold the stock after reports of the incident spread across social media. Nike expressed regret for the shoe malfunction in a statement and wished Williamson a quick recovery.

‘We are obviously concerned and want to wish Zion a speedy recovery. The quality and performance of our products are of utmost importance. While this is an isolated occurrence, we are working to identify the issue,’ said Nike in a statement.

Was it Zion Williamson’s fault the Nike shoe broke?

While critics of Nike said the quality of the sneaker was poor, Brad Crawford, a US sports reporter, believes that Williamson may have worn out the shoes because of his strength.

‘From in-game photos, Williamson's pair of the player edition PG 2.5 in Duke's familiar white and blue colorway appear to be worn quite a bit, hence more give than usual in the midsole where separation occurred in a violent manner,’ noted Crawford.

‘If you look at Williamson's severed left sneaker, the upper is fully intact, meaning the notion of 'bad craftsmanship' is a misnomer. The phylon midsole is destroyed as a result of weakened foam. That's not going to happen for most players, but with a worn shoe, it's not all that surprising considering Williamson's size and strength,’ wrote Crawford.

Whether it was the shoe or Williamson himself who caused the injury, Nike has to act quickly to reassure investors that their sneakers will help, not hurt, customers in their fitness goals.