Would it be a L or a power move if more athletes decided to start producing their own sneakers?

[yardman]

Or should the idea of it just be thrown out altogether?
I've been thinking about the precedent it could set.​

 

[Bilz]

I think there are much easier ways to make money when you already have money and fame. Playing basketball doesn't make you a shoe expert.

To legitimately gain market share you have to produce superior products because the big companies can't be matched in their advertising and marketing efforts.

 

[Remote]

It doesn't have to be shoes.

But if you can own your own brand and build it up, that seems like a better route than being a slave with no equity to a bigger company.
And I get it...not everyone is in a position to do that.
And some will fail.
But so what?

With great risk comes great reward.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

I just don't see any player being able to make enough money off shoes to warrant leaving the money on the table they could make through endorsements.

I think players should find a lane where they aren't competing with huge international corporations.

Maybe come up with some practice equipment/drills/dvds or something like that.

 

[Johnny Kilroy]

Power move? That'a a Big Baller Move

#BBB

 

[Regular_P]

It's foolish. The only player who sorta runs their own brand is Jordan and that's because he was an ICON for 15 years.

Anybody turning down these endorsement deals is a fool. That's EASY money.

 

[GiantGonzalez]

No leave the making sneakers to 6 year olds in Asia

 

[alpo]

Cacs in here mad lol

 

[JetFueledThoughts]

I think it could definitely be possible, and if done right could be a major power move for athletes.

But what's important is having the brand as the foundation, the brand being built before you unveil your independently made/distributed product.

That's the main reason people look at Lavar funny style, charging $500 for shoes of an athlete who hasn't played a single damn NBA game yet


On the flip side, picture somebody like Russ or even John Wall. Play out your first shoe deal and get a couple nice ones on the shelves, get the brand up. Then if they came back and rebranded their logo and tried to get these independent manufactured and getting a niche distributing deal.... don't you think people would be way more receptive and this would go better? Couldn't you see major companies being more willing to listen to someone like Kevin Durant or Steph try to pitch them on distributing their shoe if they chose to venture out?


Lavar may have lowkey started a rough sketch of the blueprint, but the end game looks dicey because he's built it off the 'brand' of an unproven player. That's part of the reason he's bein all extra, get the attention till draft and the season

 

[brother walt]

cacs will say no

 

[Inferno]

Take the shoe contract from Nike/Adidas and invest in your own company. Shoes aren't the only business available to young, wealthy players. Look at Bron. Got a lifetime deal with Nike and he'll probably end up owning his own NBA franchise. Used his shoe contract and salary to build the rest of his brands.

 

[JetFueledThoughts]

I mean shyt if you wanna see somebody venturing out on their own, check out the mans Marbury

Welcome <------- starbury.com


He went to ball in China and learned how to take advantage of cheap manufacturing


Those prices

But those looks

 

[010101]

99% of athletes are swaggless with no talent for design or sense of style
they need the big brands to package them up and make them marketable
if someone comes along with the wave and knows how to put all the pieces together then it's a great move

but none of these nikkas out here got the wave nikkas need stylist for goodness sake
they can't even dress themselves how they gonna dress the masses¿
hold that

*

 

[23Barrettcity]

It doesn't have to be shoes.

But if you can own your own brand and build it up, that seems like a better route than being a slave with no equity to a bigger company.
And I get it...not everyone is in a position to do that.
And some will fail.
But so what?

With great risk comes great reward.

Let's stop acting like being paid millions to endorse a product is slavery that's insulting . Yes if you can build your own brand and own everything that would be amazing but it's hard to do right . You shouldn't say so what some fail instead we need successful businessmen to help other brothers with money find a lane and invest in it and maximize their opportunities. Lavar should be talking to a guy like bron but insulting him

 

[yardman]

It doesn't have to be shoes.

But if you can own your own brand and build it up, that seems like a better route than being a slave with no equity to a bigger company.
And I get it...not everyone is in a position to do that.
And some will fail.
But so what?

With great risk comes great reward.

​