Following the emergence of Michael Jordan, Nike surpassed Adidas, Converse, and Reebok as the leading sports brand in the world. Today, the American company has dominated the market and has a whopping $156 billion market capitalization. Being the go-to brand for several athletes from across the world, Nike has also asserted their command over the NBA. With the company manufacturing top-quality basketball shoes, more than 67% of active NBA players are signed with Nike. The brand’s supremacy can also be seen in the current Team USA squad. While Anthony Edwards is representing Adidas, seven players are Nike-associated athletes.
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Team USA has a mix of four brands that are being represented by their 12-man squad. While Nike, Jordan, and Adidas are no-brainers, Austin Reaves decided to make an unconventional pick. Signing with a brand called Rigorer, the Chinese Los Angeles Lakers star already has his own signature shoes with the Chinese brand. Donning the AR1 throughout the FIBA World Cup campaign, Reaves’ sneakers have drawn numerous praises.
Anthony Edwards signed with Adidas, and 7 teammates signed with Nike
The @boardroom revealed a unique stat about the current roster representing The USA at the FIBA World Cup. As seen in the embed below, seven athletes on the roster have signed with Nike – more than three times the number of their longtime rivals. Whereas, Adidas and Jordan have two athletes each. With Reaves’ deal with Rigorer, there are a total of four brands being represented.
The trio of the former Villanova Wildcats – Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart – are joined by Tyrese Haliburton, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cam Johnson, and Bobby Portis as the players putting on Nike gear. The more common shoes among the players have been the Kobes and the PG 6.
While Paolo Banchero has been associated with the brand for almost a year now, Brandon Ingram recently announced his partnership with the Jordan brand. Finally, Walker Kessler and Anthony Edwards are the two youngsters tied up with Adidas.
Superstars signed with Nike, Adidas, and other brands
According to a Baller Shoes DB study from 2021, 67% of the athletes in the NBA wear Nike. Paul George, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Ja Morant are some of the stars who have their own Nike signature shoes. Whereas, megastars LeBron James and Kevin Durant have signed lifelong deals with the brand.
Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, and Zion Williamson, who also have their own signature shoes, join the 9% group of players associated with Jordan Brand. Whereas, the likes of Damian Lillard and James Harden are the high-profile names representing Adidas.
Ever since the emergence of Stephen Curry, Under Armour has seen a huge jump in the market as well. Apart from Joel Embiid, UA also has the likes of Patty Mills and Mo Bamba on its roster.
