John Kim Anthony Edwards and adidas are in it for the long run. The signature athlete has signed a multi-year extension with adidas that will pay the superstar hooper close to an eight-figure annual salary; this prolonged union promises a healthy future of Anthony Edwards shoes and the growth of the AE line as a whole, all while opening up potential for other product initiatives in the adidas family.
Anthony Edwards first signed with adidas in 2020 before he was drafted first overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 NBA Draft. Terms of that deal were not disclosed, nor are the details of his new extension. For context, Damian Lillard signed a 10-year $100 million contract with adidas in 2014, while James Harden signed a 13-year, $200 million extension with adidas in 2015. Edwards’ new extension could possibly mirror those figures, but given his age and the unprecedented success of the AE1, the official numbers could be higher.
Edwards is by far the most needle-moving player in the signature basketball shoe game. His debut adidas AE1 first released in late 2023 and has steadily hit the release calendars through the first three months of the year; each pair of Anthony Edwards shoes selling out to the public. Although the AE1 hasn’t seen a retail release since late March, that changes on July 20th with the release of the adidas AE1 “Ascent” Pack, which includes both the Mid and the new AE1 Low in a grey/black colorway.
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- adidas AE1 Low “Ascent” Releasing July 20th ($110)
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- adidas AE1 “Ascent” Releasing July 20th ($120)
The AE1 has stoked a fire in the once competitive basketball shoe business, much in part due to the bold and direct marketing. Anthony Edwards, already a vocal trash-talker on the court, has taken shots at competing athletes and brands through its ads, even garnering an indirect response from Jordan Brand with its “Never Stop Disbelieving” campaign after its signature athlete Jayson Tatum won an NBA Championship earlier in June.
News of extension first reported by Footwear News and Shams Charania
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