Veejay Pre Joins Nike on Multi-Year Deal
Veejay Pre has signed a multi-year deal with Nike, adding a new milestone to a season in which he has become an increasingly important presence for the UP Fighting Maroons.
Marvin Espiritu of Espiritu Manotoc Basketball Management, Pre’s agent, confirmed the agreement to ALL-STAR. The partnership brings the forward into Nike’s roster as he continues to establish himself among the country’s leading collegiate players.
“Veejay is one of the best players in the country and we’re very happy to welcome him into the Nike Family,” Mariana Lopa of Nike Philippines told ALL-STAR.
Pre’s recent performances have given that welcome plenty of context.
Pre’s 30-Point Double-Overtime Night vs. UST
On October 21, he scored 30 points to help UP outlast UST, 103–101, in double overtime at the Mall of Asia Arena. He accounted for all seven of the Fighting Maroons’ points in the second extra period, taking responsibility for the possessions that ultimately separated the teams.
The victory moved UP to 6–2 and provided another example of the scoring and late-game composure Pre has brought to the Maroons. It also gave sneaker watchers another reason to pay attention to what was on his feet.
Kobes or G.T. Cuts? Pre’s Sneaker Rotation
Pre wore Dylan Harper’s TITAN x Nike G.T. Cut 1 “Before the Light” against UST, the same pair he used in UP’s first meeting with DLSU this season. Against the Green Archers, he finished with 19 points and seven rebounds.
The shoe has a Philippine connection of its own. Harper’s collaboration with TITAN, the basketball retailer rooted in the local game, draws on his Filipino heritage. Dark tones and sunrise accents reflect the work put in before daylight—a detail behind a shoe that has accompanied two of Pre’s standout outings.
His rotation has also included the Kobe A.D. Protro “Purple Stardust” against UE and the Kobe 4 Protro “Draft Pack” against Adamson.
Those choices reflect a preference Lopa has noticed. While Pre has an affinity for Bryant’s signature line, the G.T. Cuts have made a strong case for more time on court.
“Veejay likes his Kobes, but he’s gotten 2 POGs in the GT Cut 1s, so we may see more of those too,” Lopa said, referring to his Player of the Game honors.
For Pre, the Nike agreement arrives as his place within UP’s offense continues to grow. The DLSU game showed what he could contribute in a marquee matchup. Against UST, he carried that responsibility through two overtime periods, supplying every point the Maroons scored in the last five minutes.
Now, with a multi-year partnership secured, Pre has Nike’s backing as he helps UP pursue another UAAP championship—and a choice to make between his favored Kobes and the G.T. Cuts that have served him well.
