Game. Set. Match. Today the object of adidas’ affection Houston Rockets swingman James Harden, officially joined the three stripes on a $200 million deal that will span 13 years. Nike had a chance to match the offer, but declined.
The official press release from adidas:
“adidas today announced an unprecedented partnership with superstar shooting guard James Harden of the Houston Rockets. One of the league’s most prolific scorers and recognizable players begins the long-term deal with adidas which includes an exclusive signature collection, product design collaboration and marketing involvement beginning October 1.
“We’re a brand of creators and James embodies that more than any athlete in the game. His addition to the adidas basketball family is a game changer,” said Chris Grancio, adidas Global Basketball General Manager. “This partnership gives him the opportunity to achieve his goals and express himself in a totally new way as a creator. He’s already one of the most recognizable sports figures because of his game, his look, his hunger to win and his style on the off the court. His ceiling is far from reached, which tells you the future for him and our brand looks incredible.”
“We have a lot of energy in basketball right now and James takes that momentum to a whole new level,” Grancio continued. “James isn’t like anyone else. He approaches the game with a unique mentality and strives to go against convention. When he signed with the Rockets he moved from being the sixth man to the lead man, proving his willingness to establish himself as a resounding superstar.”
To begin the partnership, Harden will play a leading role in adidas’ global brand campaign which will coincide with the start of the NBA season. He will play a critical role with adidas to create and develop on and off-court signature footwear and apparel collections as well as marketing plans. The partnership also includes Harden traveling on extensive brand tours in Europe and Asia.
With the signing of Harden, adidas continues its momentum of partnering with the most talented and influential players in basketball including two-time NBA All-Stars Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers and John Wall of the Washington Wizards, 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Using a repertoire of step-back jump shots, staggering drives and bullet pass assists, Harden has cemented himself as one of the league’s most unstoppable offensive weapons. Harden is coming off a historic season where he recorded two 50-point games, topped the 40-point mark on 10 occasions and turned in four triple-doubles. He helped guide the Rockets to their first division title since 1994 and to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 18 years. The Los Angeles native was drafted out of Arizona State University as the No. 3 overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft and is a three-time NBA All-Star, two-time All-NBA First Team member and the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2012.”
