NBA players such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are well known for being affiliated with Nike to create their signature shoes.
These sneakers are worn by basketball players on the court and by fans who dream of playing professionally. But there’s a suspicious truth behind these signature shoes, and a certain player isn’t afraid to speak out about it.
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, who has had a long-lasting feud with the athletic wear company, revealed some of Nike's issues during an interview with Celtics blogger Noa Dalzell during Brown's 741 performance pop-up event in Boston on Sunday.
Brown, 28, claims that professional basketball players don’t wear the same shoes made for consumers because of the drastic difference in quality.
“Usually, the athlete is wearing something different from what’s being sold because they want to increase the margins,” Brown said.
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown.
Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
To fight the issue, he unveiled his new White Noise sneakers, which have the same quality made for athletes and fans to wear. Furthermore, the all-star guard did not receive help from major athletic wear companies like Nike and Adidas.
He even turned down a $50 million deal to start his footwear company, which he plans to use to create a sense of equality between the athletes and their fans. Brown also wants to prove this by wearing his signature shoes on the court.
“That’s not typically the norm in the sneaker industry,” Brown added. “Kobe Bryant wasn’t wearing the same shoe that you buy. But you’re wearing the same exact shoe that I wear.”
The priority behind his sneakers is the quality, but he has been altering the design and aesthetic to make them more appealing. He plans to build up the company from its launch.
“If you like it now, you’ll love it in the future,” Brown continued. “Sometimes you don’t want to make things perfect. Sometimes you just gotta do it and then let it grow and change it as you are doing it instead of just trying to be the perfect brand.”
The Celtics player said he’s focusing on a longer-term vision rather than a short-term cash grab.
“Entrepreneurs understand that,” he concluded. “Small business owners understand that. Sometimes, the public doesn’t.”