NBA scoring champion Dwyane Wade is changing shoes, making the switch from Converse to Nike’s Jordan Brand.
Nike announced Friday that the star Miami Heat guard will now be representing the Jumpman label, joining the likes of Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Derek Jeter.
Wade had three years remaining on his deal with Converse, which had him as the centrepiece of its attempt to reinvigorate the company’s once-thriving basketball business. That relationship seemed rocky when the 2006 NBA finals MVP rarely wore his most recently released signature shoe, the “Wade 4,” last season, favouring an older model instead.
The Jordan Brand is a 12-year-old division of Nike, which also owns Converse.
“I grew up on the south side of Chicago idolizing Michael Jordan,” Wade said. “I have enormous respect for this brand.”
Wade said he inquired about switching from Converse to Jordan’s brand before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, because he was concerned about Converse’s long-term viability in the basketball marketplace.
The 2008 request was declined, but earlier this month, Wade said he was “almost positive” a switch would happen.
“I didn’t want to be in the Converse brand anymore because it seemed like they didn’t know what to do with me,” Wade said.
Wade’s endorsement resume already includes deals with T-Mobile and Gatorade.
“I want to go global,” said Wade, who is planning a trip to China later this summer for a series of business meetings and appearances. “It’s something I feel like I have to do. I want to continue to build my brand.”
The move wasn’t totally unexpected: As recently as last week, Wade was at a charity event with children in Miami wearing apparel featuring the Jumpman logo, prompting one of the kids to ask if he still was aligned with Converse.
Wade donned a blue pair of Converse sneakers at the Zo’s Summer Groove game he co-hosted Sunday with Alonzo Mourning.
That’ll likely be his last appearance in that brand. A “Wade 5” shoe was to be released by Converse in the coming weeks, although it now seems likely that orders from retailers for that model will be cancelled.
