While Adidas may be getting out of the NBA jersey game soon enough, it seems that the company has no plans of backing down when it comes to signing professional basketball players.
According to ESPN, Adidas is attempting to woo Rockets guard James Harden with a 13-year endorsement deal worth a stunning $200 million. adidas spokesman Michael Ehrlich cited Harden’s game and style as the reasons why the Three Stripes is willing to dump a reported $200 million on The Beard.
“We’ve invited James Harden to join Adidas,” said Adidas spokesman Michael Ehrlich in a statement. “We’re a brand of creators and he truly embodies what that means with his approach to the game, his look and his style on and off the court. He’s coming off a historic season where he won the scoring title and was voted MVP by his peers. His connection with fans is unparalleled and unprecedented and he can take the game, our brand and the industry to new heights.”
Harden had previously been signed under Nike but their contract with Harden recently expired. They have a week to match adidas’ offer. While $200 million may seem like quite a lot of money for a James Harden endorsement, opportunities like this don’t come around very often for brands.
As a reference point, adidas signed Derrick Rose to a 13-year, $185 million deal back in 2012. In comparison, $200 million for Harden sounds like a good deal.
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