Damian Lillard is doing something noble with his Adidas Dame X. It’s incredibly rare for athletes of Dame’s status to put the consumer first when it comes to the price tag of their shoes. The Bucks star however, is continuing to go against the grain, with his upcoming model being less than $100. He recently spoke on the thought process behind this decision and what kind of connection he wants to establish with the consumers who buy his shoes.
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Most signature shoes on the market cost well over $100. LeBron James’s shoes carry a hefty price tag, averaging around $160 and going up to $200 at times. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, and others have shoes that range from $130 to $160.
In a market so competitive, Lillard putting his shoes up for less than $100 is refreshing. In a clip uploaded to X by Nice Kicks, the point guard can be heard talking about the Dame X. He said, “As far as performance, the 9 has been great for me. So, I wanna hold on to that feel, obviously with a different design.” Dame is very proud of the fact that he is offering a “quality shoe” under $100.
He said, “I’ll say that’s the number one thing for me.” The 34-year-old comes from a humble background, so he understands that it’s not always easy to buy these shoes. To get rid of the financial burden on people and parents who want to buy shoes for their kids, he made this conscious decision.
Dame said, “Making my shoe accessible to people that come from a background like me, come from neighborhoods, single parents. People that want to have a connection to a star athlete and be able to get a shoe like this, but also be able to afford it. That means a lot to me.” The previous installment, ‘Dame 9’ was priced at $120.
Damian Lillard’s next signature shoe, the adidas Dame 10, will be retailing for LESS THAN $100 🔥👏 pic.twitter.com/npJ9MjM5JV
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) February 27, 2025
However, he also has a takedown model ‘Dame Certified 3’ that’s available for $85. It’s unusual for a company like Adidas to offer shoes at this price range. For example, Anthony Edwards’ AE 1 comes with a price tag of $120, with the low model selling for $110. A lowered price tag doesn’t mean that the Dame X is subpar in quality.
The shoes come with dynamic comfort, and 3D zonal support and weigh around 430 g. The shoes are made with lightweight textiles for a breathable performance. Padding has been provided around the heels for a long-lasting performance. Dame X colorway aims to pay homage to his kids’ favorite color.
