Nike countersuing Clippers' Kawhi Leonard over 'Klaw' logo

The Clippers wing turned down a $22 million endorsement deal from Jordan Brand last October and elected to sign with New Balance in March.

Kawhi Leonard

Nike is fighting back against Kawhi Leonard.

The Clippers wing turned down a $22 million endorsement deal from Jordan Brand last October and elected to sign with New Balance in March. He then accused Jordan's parent company, Nike, of claiming his patented "Klaw" symbol that appears on his branded apparel against his will.

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A report from Sports Business Journal stated Leonard insisted he designed the logo in college, but Nike released a statement Thursday to clarify what his contributions to the end product were.

It read:

TMZ Sports obtained a sketch Leonard sent to Nike in the collaborative effort.

 

Nike's suit went on to state Leonard disregarded its claim to the logo and used it on non-Nike clothing during the 2019 NBA Finals. It's in pursuit of "maximum statutory damages" as a result of Leonard's violation.

The Clippers reportedly looked into purchasing a portion of the rights to the logo in their June suit, but were unsuccessful.