James Harden's contract with Nike will officially expire at the end of August. Adidas has grand plans to make him their lead endorser.
It was observed that Harden's endorsement career arc followed his basketball career. He was considered as underappreciated in Oklahoma being a sixth man behind superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook-who came into the NBA just the year before him.
A trade that sent him to the Houston Rockets propelled him to become "The Man" for the team and he delivered, almost winning the NBA MVP award and bringing the Rockets as close to a title since Hakeem Olajuwon's glory days.
It was the same situation with his (now former) shoe company, Nike. Harden saw guys get their signature shoes - KD, Melo and recently Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving. When will his time come?
Sneaker News pointed that out in their analysis of why Harden jumped ship:
"Nike outfitted James Harden with some impressive low-cut models like the Run The One and Hyperchase, but there was no true indication that he was going to get his own Nike signature shoe (possibly because negotiations were taking place, without a conclusion, for quite a while). At adidas, you can bet the farm that he'll get his own signature shoe in a heartbeat."
Adidas will not invest $ 200 million for nothing and it's predicted that Harden will take the throne that was initially reserved for Derrick Rose. Rose was supposed to be Adidas' lead endorser and winning the MVP gave the three stripes an edge. However, with his string of injuries, his absence on the court definitely affected the brand.
In contrast, upstart Under Armour took a chance on Stephen Curry and when he won the MVP and the championship, UA promptly grabbed the no.2 spot from the German shoemaker. It was clear that Adidas needed to make a bold move.
Adidas will now get busy with Harden, as Champs Sports noted, they already have a "blueprint" in place that will make The Beard an icon both on and off the court. They note that Harden's connection with the Kardashians, along with Adidas collaborator Kanye West, works in his favor.
Harden's "anti-hero" demeanor, his beard and his loud personality (as opposed to Derrick Rose's seemingly subdued stance) make him a unique endorser that may be perfect for Adidas at this time.