Originally posted on Housakicks
I can name several marquee NBA players whose careers were marred with debilitating injuries, Tracy Mcgrady, Gilbert Arenas, Derrick Rose ( still active but considering retirement). John Wall also sustained knee injuries that sidelined him for some time. I can also add myself to the statistics- I suffered partial tears in my ACL on both my knees while playing with a pair of Adidas Adiprene basketball shoe ( I bought them for $29.99 from sports authority).
Many in the sneaker community have held Adidas basketball shoes responsible for causing injuries to the players I cited above. Although one can see a correlation between wearing Adidas sneakers and being injured, we often miss one thing about these players. Tracy Mcgrady, Derrick rose, and John Wall are guys who relied heavily on athleticism to score. D. Rose , J. Wall And Mcgrady put their bodies under a lot of pressure ( they did things that normal people couldn’t do). They contorted their bodies, changed directions, and often scored from very awkward positions. And if you look at all three guys, they always landed in a way that put too much pressure on one of their legs. And if you play this way you’re bound to be hurt. I hope you’ve been watching John Wall as of late; he has worked on his outside jumper and his assists have increased in the past five years. When he entered the league, he only knew how to platy one way, attack the rim which contributed to his injuries. He’s polished his game and he is in my opinion the best two way guard in the eastern conference.
John wall sneakers ( the Reebok and the Adidas) always under performed at retail partly because of the injury related myth Adidas sneakers carried. I think the main reason why adidas basketball was shunned is because the shoes were utterly despicable. The Adidas kobe signature shoes are the most hideous basketball shoes I’ve ever come across Mcgrady and Arenas’s sneakers didn’t have a great silhouette as well. Rose’s sneakers were great but because of the injuries, people shunned them.
But with the recent resurgence of Adidas due to three elements ( Kanye West, Boost and the NMD) has vastly repaired Adidas’s image and the result is right before us. After parting ways with Adidas for two years, John Wall has resigned with the brand. After leaving the brand in 2015, many thought he would join Nike because he hired Rich Paul ( Lebron’s childhood friend and agent). Wall was spotted with different shoes on the court from Nike’s, to Jordan’s and lately his own floral Adidas signature shoes. I’m suspecting that John Wall considered guys like D. Lillard and James Harden; if Adidas sneakers were causing injuries then a guy like James Harden wouldn’t be in the league especially with that “Euro Step” of his. I’ll also add that both Lillard and Harden’s signature shoes have striking silhouettes and are also built for performance. There are probably several other cumulative reasons that contributed to John Wall’s decision to return to Adidas, but one thing is certain, Adidas has definitely gained some signifcant grounds in the basketball arena.
img via sports.yahoo
