The future HOFer SG Tracy McGrady appears to have beef with Adidas, according to TMZ Sports. Hands down the greatest SGs in NBA history appear to be upset with the organization. He had one of the most fantastic brand-athlete deals in the history of sports (not just basketball). During an interview at the Hashtag Sports conference, he admitted to his relationship with the sneaker brand as “shaky” at best. One would be safe to assume, that the sneaker deal could be coming to an end a whole sooner than most think.
“I’ve been with Adidas for 25 years, I think we’re coming to an end,” McGrady said during the interview. “ … The treatment I’ve gotten from them over the last ten years is what it is. I deserve better.”
.@TMac_213 calls his relationship with Adidas "rocky' at the @hashtagsports conference.
"I've been with Adidas for 25 years, I think we're coming to an end. … The treatment that I've gotten from them over the last ten years, it is what it is. I deserve better." pic.twitter.com/AyI5NNbsxk
— Boardroom (@boardroom) July 14, 2022
Tracy McGrady’s Journey with Adidas
McGrady reveals this beef has been brewing for over 10 years, due to the lack of respect given to him by the company. He specified his displeasure with the way Adidas handled the creation of his “one-on-one” tournament-style sneaker.
“When I started OBL (One’s Basketball League), I was told I couldn’t pull this off by Adidas,” McGrady said. “So, that’s why I feel that way.”
This would be the first time a lifetime deal between both parties may be separated. The logistics may be “unseen” territory to both sides, however, a settlement between the two will have to be negotiated. In 2002, is when he initially signed a lifetime deal with Adidas. While this may be liberating for McGrady, many sneakerheads may suffer. Tracy McGrady’s Adidas shoes are some of the most adored and memorable in the sneaker world. The T MAC 1s revolutionized the game for children and adults within the urban culture.
“It is what it is,” McGrady stated on Thursday. “I deserve better. So, yeah. I believe it’s coming to an end.”
Kanye West Struggles Doing Business with Adidas
Kanye West was holding together Adidas single-handedly and it appears they also ran into problems down the line. To be fair, at this point in time, West was being extremely controversial and running for president. Many believe that the famous “slavery was a choice” this was the downfall of their relationship. However, a pattern still remains, in fact, several of Adidas’ biggest deals and superstars continue to go sour. The CEO of Adidas Kasper Rorsted spoke highly of West to Bloomberg TV even though he didn’t mention the controversial comments.
“Kanye has been and continues to be a crucial part of our strategy. He has been an exceptional creator, and that’s all I have to say,” stated Rorsted. “I’m not going to comment on every comment that he or somebody else makes. That’s pretty much the party line at this stage.”
