Rumors

Who is your basketball GOAT? Lance Stephenson: Michael Jordan is number one. T-Mac is the reason I wore number one — had all his sneakers. My school was Adidas-sponsored, so I repped T-Mac. Also, Oscar Robertson. I feel like my game is like his — pass, shoot, attack — all-around player.

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Nick DePaula: Adidas lifetime athlete @Dame_Lillard is launching his 10th signature shoe tomorrow. The Dame X is priced at $95, per his direct request. “I wanted to create something that’s accessible, that performs at the highest level, and that feels real on the court and in life,” he said.

Twitter

New Balance emerged as an unlikely winner in the courtship of Flagg. Nike, Adidas and at least one Chinese sportswear brand pitched Flagg and his family, according to a person familiar with the matter. Nike and Adidas didn’t respond to requests for comment. Financial terms of his deal haven’t been disclosed. The company’s executives began considering Flagg in late 2023, after the top high school star in the country announced on the cover of Slam magazine that he would play for Duke. Flagg, who’s from a small town in Maine close to a New Balance factory, was immediately appealing to the Boston-based brand.

Bloomberg

Nick DePaula: BREAKING: Adidas has signed VJ Edgecombe to a multi-year shoe deal. 📄✍️ The explosive guard from the Bahamas is projected near the top of today’s 2025 NBA Draft. “This is a family, and I’m going to keep doing whatever I can do within that to help grow the brand,” VJ told me.

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Nick DePaula: BREAKING: Adidas has signed rising guard Jeremiah Fears to a multi-year shoe deal. 📄✍️ “Three Stripes have been doing something special for awhile now,” Fears told me. “The relationship they have with their guys, and potentially having a signature shoe in the future was big.”

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Dwight Howard: "My dad was talking to Nike with my agent, and at the time, Nike said I didn’t have a personality—which was crazy. I think that’s why I ended up going with Adidas. Nike literally told my dad and my agent I didn’t have a personality. This was when I was 18 years old—right before coming out of high school. And they made no offers. I don’t even think they made an offer at that point. Later on, did they ever try to poach me from Adidas? No. I did have another shoe company I was with—it was called Peak. It’s a Chinese shoe company. They actually owe me a lot of money. But it’s a Chinese company, so like, if something happens in the States and you try to fight it in China, you’re not going to win that battle."

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Prior to his arrival as the NBA’s next rising superstar, Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards also had dreams of making highlight-reel plays on the gridiron. Being a standout football player from a young age, it comes as no surprise that Anthony Edwards could manage becoming a dual-sport athlete, but given his massive success in The Association, he’ll have to keep dreaming about a life out on the field. This upcoming season, Edwards and Adidas will partner for an upcoming signature football cleat.

Clutch Points

Jon Chepkevich: Mathias M’Madi has withdrawn his name from the 2025 NBA Draft, I’m told. Gained valuable experience working out with 3 NBA teams and participating in the adidas Eurocamp throughout his pre-draft process. Slated to run the show for Madagascar at FIBA AfroBasket in August.

x.com

The 18th edition of the adidas Eurocamp, a top pre-draft showcase for international basketball talent aged 16–22, will take place from May 31 to June 2 in Treviso, Italy. Led by Coaching Director Bill Bayno and Scouting Director Gianluca Pascucci, this year’s camp features NBA coaches like Dave Joerger, Rex Kalamian, DJ Bakker, and others from teams including the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, and LA Clippers.

EuroHoops.net

Nick DePaula: Jalen Williams pulled up in the “Metallic Silver” Adidas Crazy 2 Retro 👀 pic.x.com/JSkN0Hc02F

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There will be no Jump Men or Swooshes in Alijah Arenas' future ... Gilbert Arenas' high school basketball star son tells TMZ Sports he's signing a contract with Adidas!! The McDonald's All-American said out at LAX this week he's planning to follow in his dad's footsteps and ink an endorsement deal with the three stripes.

TMZ.com

Shams Charania: Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels – the NBA's steals leader and a Defensive Player of the Year candidate – is signing a four-year shoe endorsement deal with Adidas, sources tell ESPN. He is averaging 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.1 steals (the most since 1988-89).

x.com

“When I think about my journey,” Lillard said last month from the hallway of his alma mater, Oakland High, “it wasn’t like everybody was on me because I was supposed to do what I’ve done. I was a regular kid. They knew I was good at basketball, but none of this was expected. So when I kind of think back on it, I always remind myself of how important the journey is. “Everybody will look at where I am now, but when I think about the moments of the journey, that’s what gives me chills sometimes about how it happened.” Lillard allowed himself to remember because he was in the halls he once walked. He’d announced a $25,000 scholarship and a partnership with Portland State and blessed the basketball teams with his Adidas signature sneakers.

New York Times

Dwight Howard: I'm mad about that, man, because both of us—we were with Adidas, man. We put on for Adidas. When I lost the deal with Adidas after I left the Lakers—when I played with Kobe and them—they said, "We can't keep you on Adidas because Lakers fans are mad at you." Nah, I did not get a new contract, man. That's crazy. I was with Adidas, I had three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and I never got a big contract. When I did the Superman dunk, they should have gone crazy.

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