Don't compare KD to Kawhi on this because KD had a sneaker from rookie year
The Spurs really fukked up Kawhi's money by things that now look like indentured servitude from talking about how he keep coupons for free wings to the story about the the 24 year old car to not really letting him be in commercials except for the HEB shyt and worst of all from 2014 on not publicly claiming him as the face of the team they belittled the man too much
Some of the sneaker contracts are weird to me pretty much all of the Chinese ones except Wade (li-ning gave him equity and the first models were actual leather and under priced in a world where most sneakers are plastic at a much overpriced mark)
Nike knew Kobe would not make it to year 2020 In the NBA and they low key b*stardized their talent pool by forcing guys without signatures to wear something like the Hyperdunks, another thing was making takedown sneakers that could have been signature sneakers for other guys, waiting too long to give shoes to PG and Kyrie
All the companies have companies under them so often once a Athlete pops they often make a move up (think John Wall Rbk to three stripes) but they really don't build an infrastructure or come out with weird things like Russ's first sneaker being a lifestyle sneaker based off his fashion
It's a very complex thing at the same time no one has a Converse sneaker contract (Nike owns Converse) Puma has come back, UA got hurt by being too white and New Balance is here
Moving forward we are too smart for some of the old marketing so until something new to trick us comes it will feel stagnant with everything feeling minimized add the fact that basketball sneakers suffer in this fitted era especially the bigger your foot its complex because it's too analytical