Tracy McGrady was offered a six-year, $12 million shoe endorsement deal with Adidas straight out of high school. It was a deal that completely changed the game.
However, more than two decades later, things between McGrady and Adidas appear to be souring. And if recent statements prove true, an ugly split may be on the horizon.
“I’ve been with Adidas for 25 years [but] I think we’re coming to an end,” McGrady said at the Hashtag Sports Conference. “The treatment that I’ve gotten from them over the last 10 years, it is what it is. I deserve better.”
Specifically, McGrady claims that Adidas didn’t believe in him when he launched the Ones Basketball League. That was interpreted as a very telling moment and, potentially, the beginning of the end.
After McGrady’s initial endorsement deal, the two sides re-upped numerous times. In 2002, they took things a step further and agreed to a lifetime partnership. That would make any potential split somewhat difficult, likely involving lawyers and negotiations.
Adidas has not yet offered a statement on McGrady’s comments or what their partnership looks like moving forward.
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