In 2016, the rapper Kanye West claimed that Yeezy (his signature sneaker brand with Adidas) jumped over Jumpman (Jordan Brand). Although it was a shocking claim, it was not inconceivable.

Through a lucrative partnership with Adidas, Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) defined an era in footwear and fashion. Forbes reported that the Yeezy sneaker line achieved sales of $1.3 billion in 2020.

What started as lifestyle shoes quickly turned into performance models. The futuristic sneakers contrasted sharply with the retro models that are the cornerstone of Jordan Brand.

For a while, Yeezys were a staple. Whether in schools, airports or restaurants, knit shoes were everywhere. Perhaps no setting had a higher presence of Yeezys than the NBA.

To this day, Adidas athletes regularly wear the lifestyle models before and after games – often prominently displayed in their pre-game photos. A few select gamers even played games in the performance models.

Adidas Yeezy QNT

Boston Celtics goaltender Carsen Edwards wears Adidas Yeezy QNTM.

While it took Ye years to build a shoe and fashion empire, it took weeks to tear it down. Yesterday, Adidas ended its partnership with Ye over his recent anti-Semitic remarks.

The German company is the latest business partner to cut ties with the controversial rapper. Hours later, Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown announced he was no longer represented by Ye-Donda Sports.

Scroll to continue

Following the rapid fallout, many NBA players find themselves with a closet full of Yeezy sneakers and a moral dilemma. Is it possible to separate the art from the artist? Or is he wearing Ye’s sneakers to tolerate his vile and dangerous rhetoric?

It’s unlikely we’ll see NBA players again wearing Yeezy basketball shoes on the court. They have never been more popular and there are many other acceptable Adidas models to wear during the game.

However, Adidas has always struggled to keep up with Nike and Jordan Brand in lifestyle models. Our initial hypothesis is that professional athletes will continue to wear Yeezy sneakers off the court or opt for designer shoes as a replacement.

The Yeezy sneaker line has made Adidas competitive in this area for almost an entire decade. Now Adidas is back where it all started. The Adidas Forum series is just an attempt to beat Nike at its own game.

Adidas is still the sole owner of the models and can easily remove the Yeezy branding (a common practice among sneaker manufacturers). However, it remains to be seen if the demand for the sneakers will still be there.

recommended for you

Nike signs 14 NBA rookies

Adidas and Damian Lillard launch a line of affordable sneakers

Stephen Curry is shaking up the sneaker industry