Eric Wise is the global GM of basketball for adidas and has had a strong passion for sneakers since a young age. He’s now helping some of the top athletes in the world build their brand with adidas, creating a shoe that fits the athlete and is in touch with the outside world.
Wise was recently in Atlanta, as adidas Basketball announced the upcoming release of NBA All-Star player Anthony Edwards’ signature shoe. The shoe, the AE1, was unveiled at a homecoming celebration in Edwards’ hometown, Oakland City.
Why was it big for adidas to release Anthony Edwards’ first signature shoe?
It’s something that we had with Anthony regarding our general partnership and being given the opportunity to build his brand with ours and be a true partner as he goes on with his career and enters this new wave. We want to be a part of that, and it worked out that we have the same beliefs and values as him, and it’s a great partnership, and we’re really excited about it.
What are you all looking for in athletes when partnering with them?
I think our values have to align for us, and we have to look at things the same way. That’s the start of it. From there, we’re looking for athletes who want to be with our brand and are fans of our brand. We want to build through relationships, not transactions, and that’s the biggest thing.
What is your favorite thing about the AE 1?
I like that it’s just him, and I like how he wants to push his game to a different level. We want to push design and footwear and how it looks to a different level. Giving him something that can help him on the court is the first thing and then something that looks really good that the kids want to gravitate to and wear, and what he wants to wear, and that’s the biggest thing. The whole thing is dope from start to finish and we’re excited.
What’s next for adidas?
This is the first for Anthony and we have a lot coming behind it as far as a lot of good launches. We’re ready to launch his shoe to the public in December, so this is the beginning, and we’re excited with what we’re going to have with Anthony and other athletes going forward.
