Switching Sides: When Athletes Change Sneaker Endorsements
In what he says is an effort to pursue a global image, NBA star Dwayne Wade has left Converse and is moving forward with Jordan Brand, ending a relationship he’s had since 2005. Good for him. Hopefully this means no more lame commercials and much better looking sneakers (no shots). Plus, it’s still all Nike money at the end of the day. The announcement got the sneaker world buzzing this morning, but D-Wade isn’t the first baller to shake things up on the endorsement side. Keep reading to check out eight more NBA players who switched sneaker companies…
PLAYER: Kobe Bryant
BRAND SWITCH: Adidas to Nike
• KB signed a six-year deal with Adidas in 1996 for roughly $48 million. He switched to Nike when his contract expired, and signed a five-year deal for $45 million. Not too much of a paper upgrade right? Wrong. Nike later gave Kobe a multi-year extension in 2007 for an undisclosed amount, which we can imagine was $$$$$$.
PLAYER: Stephon Marbury
BRAND SWITCH: And 1 to Starbury
• Steph inked with And 1 just days after the 1996 NBA Draft. “The Marbury” sold for a budget price of $70, something he would reinforce when he starting slinging his Starbury’s for $15 a pop.
PLAYER: Vince Carter
BRAND SWITCH: Puma to Nike
• VC signed a five-year deal with Puma before his rookie season, but ended the relationship in 2000, complaining that the shoes hurt his feet. Months later, Vince signed a multi-year $30 million contract with Nike, but half of that went to Puma for breach of contract. Since his “feet hurting” days, Carter has been rocking the superior-cushioned Nike Shox on court.
PLAYER: Kevin Garnett
BRAND SWITCH: Nike to And 1 to Adidas
• Nike produced several sneakerhead favorites (the Flightposite) for Garnett before he left for And 1, a stint more known for its controversial interrogation commercial than the shoes. KG eventually signed a lifetime contract with Adidas in 2003.
PLAYER: Tim Duncan
BRAND SWITCH: Nike to Adidas
• After winning his first MVP and championship titles wearing Nikes, rival brand Adidas scooped up the “Big Fundamental” in 2003 when he signed a multi-year contract. Just like the athlete they signed, details of the deal were kept quiet.
PLAYER: Chris Webber
BRAND SWITCH: Nike to Dada
• C-Webb’s kicks with Nike were mid-’90s staples, but he moved on to Dada in 2002 when the company signed him as President of their new basketball division. It wasn’t a smart move, as Webber went on to design terrible looking sneakers like the CDubbz pictured above.
PLAYER: Baron Davis
BRAND SWITCH: Reebok to Li-Ning
• Just last year, B. Diddy left Reebok for Chinese footwear brand Li-Ning. Financial terms of the deal were not released, and to be honest, not many people gave a damn.
PLAYER: Jason Kidd
BRAND SWITCH: Nike to Peak
• After a longstanding relationship with Nike, dating back to his rookie year, Jason Kidd left the powerhouse and signed with Chinese brand Peak last summer before returning home from the Olympics. He signed for an undisclosed amount, but the same company is paying Shane Battier $4 million for three years, so figure a little more for the kidd.
intern July 17, 2009 at 4:11 pm
always thought D-Wade was too good for weak ass Converse
The ILLatino July 17, 2009 at 4:12 pm
VC also had stints with And 1 and adidas, if I’m not mistaken.
CWebb went with FILA before going to DADA.
Those Adidas Kobe’s pictured above are horrid.
BIG FRED July 17, 2009 at 4:40 pm
YOOOOOOOOOOO! I REMEMBER THAM STEPH AND 1′S!!! MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD COMFY!!
word is bond - thats whats up July 17, 2009 at 5:04 pm
those adidas kobes can’t be real
those look horrendous
Ha! July 17, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Man, a lot of people thought that shit was futuristic when it first came out.
ryan July 17, 2009 at 8:50 pm
back then, a lot of people, myself included, thought if that was what the future held for bball kicks, we’re all doomed. phugly as hell then, hilarious now. (though they did seem to look okay in that kobe ad where he was wearing a jumpsuit. but on the court? sheesh.
conversateisnotaword July 18, 2009 at 11:05 pm
What do u mean they can’t be real… They are still available in stores. Horrible but true.
rookie July 17, 2009 at 5:29 pm
those adidas kobes are the adidas kobe twos, but im sure few of U know that, creasing problems but very springy shoe,yi VC wore the AND1 tai chi mid in white and red in the dunk contest an for his raptor days, i miss the days when u cud name 20 kicks u wanted all on court
PEace”
RobertistheMan July 17, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Woah! Hold up! Hold up! Darryl Dawkins is the King of switching companies and breaching contracts. He wore a Pony shoe and a Nike Shoe in one game, and was sued by both companies yall are slippin by snubbing Dr. Dunkenstein.
tl July 17, 2009 at 5:35 pm
u forgot about patrick ewing leaving adidas for his own brand. if c webb never left nike i think he would’ve had some classic sneakers. wade going to jb was inevitable. dude wore more jb during the off season than actual jb players. his player exclusives are gonna be dope
AC July 17, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Yall forgot about Darryl Dawkins and Ewing. Complex is always doing half ass lists.
SMH
holden July 18, 2009 at 5:20 am
i wouldn’t call this a half assed list by any means. hater.
Izzo July 17, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Hmm…..I did not know about the last two.
@the guy who says the kobes are fake….how old are you? I remeber those vividly, unfortunetly..
pip33 July 17, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Thank goodness Nike owns Converse, because his shoes were getting real bad.
FillUp703 July 17, 2009 at 11:40 pm
words fail me when trying to describe the early kobe adidas models. sad that kg left the swoosh the stuff he had there was solid and borderline classic.
Ryan.T. July 18, 2009 at 3:29 am
I remember Chris Webber wearing Nikes, Converse, Fila, Dada, & some Iverson’s in Philly. Kobe had a few fresh ball shoes during his Adidas days, those aren’t one of them…
timmy July 18, 2009 at 11:40 am
wtf kobes sneakers just might be the ugliest thing i seen look like robot feet
jblaze July 18, 2009 at 11:51 pm
those are the kobe 2s they should have put the crzy 8s
Rohan July 19, 2009 at 10:21 pm
nothing wrong with converse especially after the 1.3 but jordans are an upgrade. so i cant wait to get some
who July 20, 2009 at 3:48 pm
kobe’s look like a hummer
Jack(ie) July 21, 2009 at 8:36 am
LMFAO!!!!!! i had some of those stormtrooper boots.
Esco's bars July 28, 2009 at 5:33 pm
MONEY makes the ballers go round