Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd, and Nat Clifton played in the 1950s and laced up the Chuck Taylor All-Stars shoes from Converse back then. In its early history, Converse was the oldest in the sneaker game and has sponsored some of the early legends of the game, including the trio who broke the color barrier by being the first few black athletes to play in the NBA. Thanks to New Balances resurgence, nearly 35 years later, we can still see P740 being available as the retro shoes.įounded in 1908, Converse became a subsidiary of Nike in 2003. It is ironic that a Los Angeles Laker would sign with a Beantown-based New Balance and even receive his first signature shoe, the P740 Worthy. He earned one million dollars, which was a huge amount in the 80s. Going way back down memory lane, 'Big Game' James Worthy was the New Balance endorsee, which also made news because it made him the biggest earning basketball athlete in the shoe endorsement department.
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Though not on full endorsement deals like other shoe brands, New Balance did offer free shipment of shoes for Matt Bonner, the 'Red Mamba', of the San Antonio Spurs for four years since 2010. He's overcome injuries and developmental stints in the G-League while rehabilitating and polishing his game to become an All-NBA defender.īefore the revival by Kawhi, the New Balance also sponsored other players. His unique road to becoming a starter in the San Antonio Spurs, putting in the work to earn his place for the five-time champion Spurs was sprinkled with hurdles.
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The young 23-year-old player fits the blue-collar mold that New Balance has established for the kind of athletes they want. Widely hyped thanks to his recent championship and the innovative commercials such as the one featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger making Terminator references to Kawhi (how apt for the robotic reliability and machine-like excellence), the products were highly searched on the internet and popular with sneakerheads.ĭejounte Murray is the third NBA player to sign with New Balance in the modern era. Kawhi's signature shoes, OMN1S, bear unique simplicity and functional advantages, just like himself. His no-nonsense style and amiable nature make Kawhi exude the same low key simplicity and attraction that New Balance products have.
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Kawhi is a quiet, productive, and consistent winner on both sides of the court, an epitome of the reliability and quality that New Balance exemplifies. Touted to be the dynasty killer, Kawhi has successfully stopped the threepeat attempt of the Miami Heat and the Golden State Warriors. Last year, fresh off his second championship season and second Finals Most Valuable Player award, Kawhi Leonard signed an endorsement deal with New Balance, thereby instantly becoming the brand's top athlete to open the market into the basketball sphere.