The last few months have been rocky for Damian Lillard. Slowly but steadily, he was making a home for himself in Milwaukee until he tore his Achilles tendon in a playoff game against the Indiana Pacers. It was a devastating blow for Dame. Unlucky, or was he the victim of the infamous “Adidas Curse”?
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This curse has long been a widely believed urban legend within the NBA community. It claims that athletes under contract with Adidas are more likely to suffer major injuries. Not a very good look for the iconic brand. Sebastian Telfair, however, has shot down the Lillard claims.
Not that Telfair is denying the existence of the curse. He knows who the true victims are, but insisted in a recent appearance on Vlad TV that Lillard is not one of them.
“That’s not no curse,” the former NBA player, who immediately changed his mood once he found out how much Dame was getting paid, said. “What you talking about? Everything gucci over there.”
James Harden was then brought up, since The Beard, a notable Adidas athlete, has also endured a number of injuries in his career. Telfair, however, seemed to care more about the monetary situation of these players than their health. Since Harden, like Lillard, is rich and well settled, he said, “Everything Gucci. They both up 600Ms,” making his point clear that these guys are more than financially set in their lives.
“Anthony Edwards?” asked the interviewer. Sebastian chuckled. “A billion. The Ant of a billion. What you talking about?” he rhetorically asked. “Adidas is corny, that ain’t got nothing to do with the individuals,” he added.
It is understandable why Telfair might be upset. His contract with Adidas was pulled out from under him following a few underwhelming years on the court, along with a robbery incident where his chain was snatched while he was playing for the Boston Celtics. While that is not part of the injury curse, he still feels he has seen more players suffer than Dame, who is still making money and should be able to play again in about a year.
The Adidas curse is not about finances. It is more about injuries, and Dame does fit that narrative. Similar to other players who were affected, like Derrick Rose, Tracy McGrady, and even football stars like RGIII, Dame’s injury occurred in the lower half of his body, and it will be a difficult road to return from.
When Telfair lost his contract, it affected his financial well-being not just for himself but for his entire family. That explains why he reacted the way he did when the question was brought up.
As for Dame, there is no timetable for his return. The Milwaukee Bucks have waived him, but the Portland Trail Blazers picked him back up. And when he does suit up again, the city where he became a star will go absolutely crazy.
