Nike’s shares drop after basketball player's shoe splits open

College basketball star Zion Williamson sprained his knee 33 seconds into a game yesterday because one of his Nike shoes split open at the sole. Williamson, who is in line for an NBA contract when he graduates from Duke University, was playing against arch rival University of North Carolina in a high profile game attended by Barack Obama.“Williamson seems like an outstanding young man as well as an outstanding basketball player. Wishing him a speedy recovery”, tweeted the former President.

The incident has led Nike’s stock to fall by 1.1 percent, as social media users criticize the quality of the brand’s basketball merchandise. In 2017, several NBA players saw their Nike jerseys rip mid-game. "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 the brand in a statement.