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SHOES + NEWS
NBDL Orders All Non-Adidas Branding Covered
words_Nick DePaula
While the NBDL might not warrant its very own Sneaker Watch any time soon, there is a trend that’s been overtaking the minor league all season long — The logos on all non-adidas shoes must be covered.
Because of the NBA’s official athletic partnership with adidas, The Brand With Three Stripes has been afforded extra logo visibility along each team’s uniforms and throughout each team’s arena. To help out the hoop hopefuls throughout the league, some making as little as $19,000 per season, adidas Basketball also generously supplies free sneakers to each player. “Players are obligated to wear adidas – which we provide – unless they have another shoe contract,” an adidas spokesperson who deals directly with the NBA confirms to Sole Collector.
Whether it’s the Air Max LeBron VII, Hyperdunk or Hyperize, in cases where players opt to wear a competing brand, athletic tape has been doing double-time on D-League courts in recent months, helping to provide ankle assurance and also cover up Nike’s Swoosh logo.
What do you make of the branding rules introduced this season in the D-League? Should adidas ease up on players who prefer a different brand, or should the players happily play in free provided shoes?
47 Responses to “NBDL Orders All Non-Adidas Branding Covered”
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Three Stripes runs the NBDL!
Id still rather wear a pair of LBJVIIs with tape on them then any Adidas hoop shoes lol.
I’d take free adidas shoes anyday. I love Nike and all the other brands, but free shoes? I’ll take it some TS Cut Creators and some Supernaturals………..
- that is madness , they should just band nikes because that look ridculous and we still know the players are wearing them so why are the going threw all this trouble . FREE SUPERNATURALS FOR EVERYONE but that the d-league for you , so unproffesional .
wait so if a player has a condition say the nike lebron helps then would they make a shoe for every player that may need a special tweek to their gear ? MADNESSSS
that’s just silly. by requesting this, doesn’t Adidas just show desperation in keeping up with Nike?
and lol @ the guy who appears to be dribbling an enormous basketball!
I don’t like it. Reminds me of censorship. I don’t really get this in college either. Free shoes are one thing, but restricting what shoes someone can wear seems out of line to me. I propose a playing in socks protest. We can say whatever we want, but we can’t wear whatever we want. I don’t get it. The clothing is one thing, but I think grown-ass men should be able to pick out their own shoes & tie them. I bit rantish, but I think y’all get what I’m saying.
Just what minor league basketball players need. Use our free shoes or else. Nevermind if the adidas shoes aren’t the best for that particular player. Nevermind that the extra money these other Brand NBDLers for wearing non-adidas is helping provide for their families. And, who are they covering it up for? The tens of people in attendance orthe hundreds watching at home. The adidas logo is all over the court, uniforms etc etc. Calm down with the brand censoring.
This has been common practice in college for years. I often wonderd how far say a “Lebron” can wear his three stripes apparel. At home in leasure? With all the thowbacks and alternates they got a ton of stuff, tees, pratice tees, warmups, shootarounds, ect. The NBDL has the right, but this should have been emplimented a long time ago!
ahhah i dot need tape for my lebrons the swoosh is peeling off by itself. shitty ass quality.
I’m not a fan of the rule
Makes no since
NBA WNBA & DLEAGUE
All sponsored by Adidas from a jersey and warm up standpoint
Why should DLEAGUE have to cover up other brand logo besides Adidas when the other two leagues don’t
I would love to see the whole league wear Nike and tape the swoosh.
Adidas is so dumb, this seems so over done.
“Little did the patron wearing Big Nikes in the front row know…but he would go on to be escorted the hell out of the arena during the 2nd half…..”
That’s a stupid rule if you ask me. Might as well restrict players from wearing Nikes.
If you’re passionate about basketball, you care enough about your footwear to pay for your own shoes even at $19k a year. I don’t see this rule lasting long, nor do I see the point of adidas raising an issue.
I noticed this awhile back that players in the D-League had the swoosh’s taped over. I guess adidas really is hurting to get all the publicity/advertising possible in the basketball footwear market
What’s up with the ball in the second pic? Its ginormous
this should not be allowed, the players can wear whatever they choose on their feet.
Adidas is a german brand. No wonder why they apply nazi-like policies. Nike is 1000,000 times better and all the tape in the world can’t hide that fact. Adidas sucks.
No need to start name calling, that’s just uncalled for.
nike may have more models of shoes but adidas quality is way better. all the tape in the world wont hide the shitty quality of nike.
Idiot!
adidas footwear sucks. They have no new technology. Nike Rules !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In the last pic…it’s called perspective.
Dude just made a bounce pass, which is headed towards the camera, making it appear larger than if he were simply dribbling.
Also, I find it 100% impossible to believe that that guy has “another shoe contract.”
Agreed.
THIS IS RIDICULOUS
Co-sign, this is just dumb. I like the free shoes, but having other brands covered up :smh:
If adidas’ contract with the NBA, is that D-Leaguers are obligated to wear adidas shoes, it’s a case of the NBA selling off too much of the player’s choice, and I’m surprised the NBPA didn’t protest this.
Still it is what the sportsbrands try and do to eachother all the time, Nike had the 3-Stripes banned from Olympic gear a couple of years ago.
nike and adidas are both murdering each other. its the nature of the business. both brands are very immature and unethical of banning each other in respective leagues that they sponsor.
This is definitely a way for loyal Nike NBDLers to make a stand. Ask Nike to pay the fees in exchange for your loyalty. Ala Jordan and his color ban.
Take the free shoes. Ebay it. Make your extra cash and wear what you like.
LOLZ the only way dey will get enough for sum good kicks is if they get a free pair to sell every game. those ADIDAS will prolly only get dem like $15 on ebay
Free shoes are always awesome, but this is too much, and I’m an Adidas fan.
this should not be allowed, the players can wear whatever they choose on their feet.
In my particular case, this is counter-productive: I see a taped shoe and I immediately want to know more about that sneaker.
I just enjot reading how bush league adidas is for making this rule in the D League, but no one remembers, or they didn’t mention, the fact that Nike made its athletes cover up the Reebok logo on the medal stand for the Dream Team. THAT is SORRY to the highest order. Thanks once again, Nike, for setting the standard.
This is classless
Now it’s official… ADIDASS….
They couldn’t do that in the nba can they?
p.s. i know not one NBDL player with a sneaker contract either so whats the big deal…
I personally think this is ridiculous.
Although I understand Adidas is trying to keep their name, and only their name in the NBA, I don’t agree with not allowing the logos or names of competitors.
This is the reason why Adidas suck. Who still wear Adidas anyway.
agree
For me its a fruitless idea as the majority of players will know if its a Nike and will more than likely already know what shoe it is.
Do you think anyone will not regonise that Lebron VII because it does not have a swoosh, I think not!!
all shoe brands are so overrated. just wear what you like. adidas is getting too desperate in america to promote their basketball line because nike still dominates. Nike is doing the same in europe regarding soccer (paying the highest fees to the flashiest players), and adidas feels threatened…this is a defense mechanism. all sports brands try to censor each other and they all try to get leverage. NO SPORTS BRAND IS ETHICAL. live with that. we all know nike uses poor asian people to make their stuff ( and sell them at overpriced tags). we all know that adidas is trying to crack nike’s dominance (so they acquired reebok), and nike bought umbro (to counter adidas)…
Puma said, “screw it, we’re going for fashion and the classic suedes”. New Balance said, “leave nike and adidas alone, we’re content with our 10-2% market share”. If you’re a player, you would want ALL the best shoes from EACH brand with you… this is what sports giants forget: the consumer is KING. Never let them have YOUR power.
All you guys missed the point! NBDL. This aint the NBA, COLLEGE, WNBA. Go to a Jordan camp you aint wearing no Reeboks. McDonalds ALL STAR camp you aint weraing no Jordans! They dont have to play and get paid and have the chance to earn a spot in the League! Go over-seas, go in the military, stay in collage for 4 years, we all know what happens when everyone leaves. Ask the players we knew and loved in college who are sitting the bench somewhere, are they glad they left early? Take the shoes and shut the XXXK up! They are free and your getting paid. After the game were your own shoes. Simple, yet effective.