NBA star's Protege brand comes exclusively to Kmart

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. NBA star Al Harrington is bringing his Protege brand of footwear and apparel exclusively to Kmart.

The Protege footwear line features a variety of products for men and boys. The men's footwear line, available in sizes 7 to 16, features five sneaker styles priced at $34.99 and two slide styles priced at $19.99. The three boys' styles are available in sizes 13 to 6, priced at $27.99. The Protege apparel line also includes casual styles for men and boys, featuring performance shorts and t-shirts.

"When I was growing up, my mother would give me $200 at the beginning of each school year to buy clothing and shoes for myself and my two siblings," said Harrington. "It was tough to find affordable sneakers that also offered court-ready craftsmanship, style, class and comfort."

The launch of Protege is part of Kmart's footwear re-launch which will feature new and exclusive brands both in stores nationwide and online beginning in February 2009. The footwear re-launch is designed to help Kmart customers fulfill the needs of their families, without sacrificing shopping expectations related to value, fashion and performance.