James Harden is coming off his most effective and successful season in the NBA. He finished second in MVP voting and led the Houston Rockets to the Western Conference Finals. Harden has quickly become one of the most popular players in the NBA because of his great play (and his very recognizable beard) and is now being offered huge endorsement money. Adidas has reportedly offered Harden a 13 year $200 million sneaker deal, according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.
Harden previously had a shoe deal with Nike which recently expired and they now have until next week to decide whether they want to match Adidas' offer. Adidas is going all out for Harden as he is the biggest free agent on the shoe market and they need star power. Their past endorses haven't quite lived up to the hype. The biggest signing for Adidas was Derrick Rose in 2012 when they reached a 14-year deal but Rose has been injured a lot since. His star power has been fading.
Other Adidas endorsers include Damian Lillard and John Wall. Lillard is on a team that is unlikely to make any noise this upcoming season and Wall has shown potential to possibly carry the brand but Harden would be the face of the company's sneaker line.
Last year Adidas fell to number three in terms of best-selling apparel brand in the United States behind Nike and Under Armour. Nike was able to hold on to Kevin Durant with a deal they agreed to last season and Under Armour was able to sign Stephen Curry, which is why Adidas is willing to give Harden such a lucrative contract.
If Harden accepts Addidas' offer the contract will pay him more in total than the one he signed with the Rockets. Harden signed an $80 million extension in 2012 and while that pays more annually it isn't for nearly as many years.
It is reportedly not a foregone conclusion that Nike will let Harden go to Adidas, as they are reportedly on edge since letting Curry walk last season and also missing out on up and coming golfer Jordan Spieth. Despite their new deal with the NBA as the official apparel brand of the league, Nike still doesn't want to lose another star to a main competitor.
Adidas is under new leadership now and Eric Liedtke, leader of global branding, is looking to make a splash right away. Harden would be just that. The Rockets are a very popular team globally, especially in China because of Yao Ming, and Harden is one of the biggest and most marketable stars in the league. If Adidas wants to get back in the game Harden is a good guy to go get. Harden finished last season with the seventh-best selling jersey in the NBA.
