Damian Lillard has signed a multi-year contract extension with adidas. And it’s reportedly a huge one, as in “bigger than everyone else’s except D Rose’s and Lebron’s” type of big.
The NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year has been having a banner season in just his second year in the league – getting his first All-Star selection, participating in a record five All-Star contests, clinching a playoff spot with the Blazers in the tough Western Conference and being so damn clutch that people gave him his own hashtag (#LillardTime). As great as he’s been in his young NBA career though, his big contract has people wondering if he deserves it.
So does he? That’s tough to answer without knowing the future. If you compare the current performances of Lillard to some of the other players he beat contract-wise this year, you’ll say it was a wrong move. If you also compare the two players ahead of Lillard, you might find it hard to say he’s at the Top 3 level. D Rose got his big contract after his MVP year and leading the Bulls to the best record in the NBA. Lebron is a multiple-time MVP and NBA Champion.
But you’ve got to look at this beyond just current season performance and stats. Lillard has got the right personality that will make him marketable. He’s a nice, family guy who doesn’t get into trouble on and off the court. Not too loud but not too quiet either, as we’ve seen on social media where he invented #4BarFriday, a movement that features players and other personalities rapping. He’s in the right position as well as we’ve all heard how it’s the “Golden Age of Point Guards” now and how big men don’t sell shoes. His strengths play to the fans – he’s a scoring guard who’s quick enough to drive by defenders, has the hops to pull off that between-the-legs alley-oop in the Slam Dunk Contest, has the range and the stroke to drop three-point bombs with accuracy and has the ability to shift to a higher gear in the closing minutes of a game. Sure, his defense can still be improved, but defenders don’t sell shoes either do they? And with all that he’s achieved, remember he’s still just in his sophomore year. From the work ethic, attitude and skills we’ve seen so far, you can be sure Lillard will develop into an even more dangerous player.
The other thing to look at is adidas’ position in basketball today. Nike (and Jordan) are still in the lead, especially in the US, where they enjoy a dominant share of the market. adidas was chipping away at that share when D Rose was playing, his shoes even outselling Lebron’s. But, we all know what happened with his knees. While we’re all still hoping for a big return from Rose, adidas can’t just sit and wait to see if he’ll be back at 100% next season. They’ve made some moves to get a good crop of point guards – John Wall, Jeremy Lin, Mike Conley, Goran Dragic, Jeff Teague and Ricky Rubio are all wearing three stripes. But arguably Lillard was the brand’s biggest star this season and they were in danger of losing him after it became possible for him to opt out of his original contract this season. The brand had about a month to sign Lillard to an extension before other shoe companies could make their offers. adidas did what they had to do to retain their biggest star this season, and potentially their biggest one in years to come.
adidas is taking a risk by offering Lillard a relatively huge contract. But sometimes, that’s what you have to do to make some big changes in an industry. Especially in an industry where injuries and draft busts are commonplace and can mean a good investment quickly turning sour. Sometimes, you just need to take a calculated risk, pick your bet and go with it. So with the next batch of NBA rookies, a supposedly strong year with lots of good picks, let’s hope adidas goes out on all its limbs and takes some more risks. For all we know these hyped up kids, these “next Jordans” and “next D Roses” could be prophecies fulfilled.
The full press release from adidas is below:
PORTLAND, Ore. (April 14, 2014) – adidas today announced a long-term partnership extension with NBA All-Star point guard Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. The young star will continue to be an integral part of adidas Basketball's marketing campaigns, product launches and global initiatives moving forward.
"adidas has been great to me over my first two seasons," said Lillard. "I've had the opportunity to wear a lot of great product, help design special versions of shoes, be a part of TV commercials and travel the world with the brand. I'm excited for what the future holds for me and adidas."
Lillard's dedication to basketball brought immediate success in his young NBA career, including being named the unanimous Kia NBA Rookie of the Year. This season, Lillard took another step forward, earning a spot on the Western Conference NBA All-Star team where he also became the first player to complete in all five events at All-Star weekend. Lillard's improvement has led to team success, as the Trail Blazers have clinched a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference for the first time in three seasons.
"Damian has proven to be not only an amazing basketball player, but a great partner, member of the community and someone who creates excitement for our products," said Chris Grancio, adidas head of global basketball sports marketing. "His leadership and commitment to success on the court and his ability to interact and relate to fans through social media and the community make him the perfect fit to be one of the cornerstones of the adidas brand."
After being overlooked by large collegiate programs coming out of high school in Oakland, Calif., Lillard attended Weber State University where he excelled for three seasons. Lillard quickly raised his draft status in 2012 where he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the sixth overall pick. Lillard is currently averaging 21 points, six assists and four rebounds per game for the Trail Blazers.
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