Tag: Sneaker

On Bill Russell, the original sneaker free agent

Decades ago, in the Louisiana native’s prime with Boston in the 1960s, Russell decided to endorse a shoe made right here in New England.

Star Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown is a sneaker free agent by design, his high standards for what he wants in footwear he would be endorsing with not only his name but also his values make the fit — both literal and metaphorical — critical.

But as is often the case with Brown and the Celtics, the forward-thinking star is following a path blazed long ago by a larger-than-life Boston icon, Hall of Fame Celtics big man Bill Russell. Decades ago, in the Louisiana native’s prime with Boston in the 1960s, Russell decided to endorse a shoe made right here in New England.

And he did it his way, creating a product that extended the life of that shoe company without simply being a transactional renting of Russell’s name and likeness.

Why Kyrie Irving’s signature sneaker line with Nike is reportedly in danger of ending soon

Kyrie Irving’s signature sneaker line might be in real danger here.

To be a Nike signature shoe athlete is some pretty rarified air. There just generally aren’t that many names to choose from in the history of NBA basketball.

In the early 2000s and early in the 2010s, there were only 3 names on Nike’s signature basketball roster: LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant.

Kyrie Irving was the first to join those three when he got his initial signature model in 2014 and he’s been a Nike athlete ever since. That all might be coming to an end after this season, according to the latest from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.

Irving’s signature line with Nike might be done.