10 Athletes We Want to See Get a Shoe Deal
You can tell that the kicks game is changing with each passing day. Companies like Under Armour and Adidas are challenging the status quo, while Nike and Jordan Brand are still out there creating waves of sneaker madness.
A lot of what we see transpire from these companies are driven by athletes. Signature kicks have become a thing of beauty and profit. Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and others are all selling sneakers by the truckload—and no one can stop them.
Besides the guys who have deals now, we felt like it was time to explore 10 deserving athletes who desperately need their own sneakers. These are names that not only have talent, but they also possess an extraordinary amount of marketability.
The best part is, our list isn't strictly limited to basketball players. We went all-out here. With the basics and formula down pat, it's time to jump right into it.
Bryce Harper
1 of 10
Washington Nationals destroyer of worlds, Bryce Harper, already has his own signature cleats. Part of the Under Armour family, the 22-year-old's eclectic persona has become tough to overlook in terms of marketability.
Harper getting his own sneaker would be the next logical step in building his brand. We rarely see baseball players get blessed with their own shoe. Ken Griffey Jr. was one of the last pioneers to have his own line of kicks.
Allowing Harper to have his own sneaker makes sense. He's young, hyper-talented and is recognized by his unique style. A Harper shoe with Under Armour's moniker on it would be dope on many levels.
No baseball-themed sneaker has been as popping as Griffey's Nike collaboration. Perhaps Harper and the apparel titan from Baltimore can change all of that.
Julio Jones
2 of 10
Julio Jones has quickly risen to the top of the world when it comes to NFL wide receivers. The 6'3", 220-pound pass-catcher is nearly unstoppable, and the Atlanta Falcons have to love him for that.
In the two seasons that he's played a full 16-game schedule, Jones has gone over 1,000 yards receiving—1,593 last year alone—and caught a combined 16 touchdowns.
We've seen what he can do on the field when he's at his best. Maybe now the man can get a sweet sneaker deal to go along with all of that talent.
Jones already is a member of team Under Armour. He's part of the same squad as Harper and Curry. Essentially, that means the pieces are already in place for a shoe to be unleashed.
From an NFL perspective, he would be the perfect candidate for a sneaker deal. Picture the Julio 1 on the feet of kids everywhere. That's one way to take a superstar wide receiver and turn him into a legend.
Kawhi Leonard
3 of 10
Kawhi Leonard is the NBA's quiet man. He also happens to be a genuine talent stuffed into a San Antonio Spurs uniform.
The league needs more players like Leonard. He's an all-out defender who has evolved dramatically on the offensive side of the ball. As a part of Jordan Brand, Leonard gets to wear a ton of player-exclusive kicks—like the "Claw" Air Jordan 6 model.
As cool as that is, seeing Leonard get his own shoe would be the logical next step. The 24-year-old deserves it. As the first Jordan Brand athlete to win the NBA Finals MVP, the company should reward Leonard.
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Odell Beckham Jr.
4 of 10
Great receivers seem to be commonplace in today's NFL. Athletes get better, passing the ball becomes more lucrative and that combination leads to great things.
Odell Beckham Jr. has been the New York Giants gift to offensive fans across the world. After putting on a show during his rookie season, Beckham has started off hot again in 2015, catching 12 passes for 190 yards and a TD.
Before the 2014 NFL draft even kicked off, Beckham was already a Nike guy. That endorsement deal looks like it's on its way to becoming immensely profitable for both sides.
With Beckham, Nike has a unique talent at its disposal. He's a crossover star thanks to outstanding play and his marketability off the field. He would be an excellent fit for a sneaker deal.
Anthony Davis
5 of 10
Anthony Davis has a tough road ahead of him in terms of getting a signature shoe. Historically speaking, big men in the NBA have a tough time selling kicks. Dwight Howard is a prime example of that.
Howard sold $1.5 million worth of shoes last year, according to Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes. That's a minuscule amount when you realize LeBron James pushed out $340 million in sales. Weak sales and a hindered relationship with Adidas led Howard to leave the company and join up with Peak—a Chinese-based apparel company—per James Emmett of SportsPro Media.
Davis, 22, is a Nike guy. And despite being a superstar, the whole "big men and sneakers thing" could be a problem.
But if anyone can overcome that stigma, it's Davis. He's the face of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise, and having Nike as your backer isn't a bad thing. The company is filled with talented designers who could turn Davis' signature kicks into a must-wear pair.
Outstanding design goes a long way in the minds of consumers. Remember, all of Howard's Adidas shoes were visual rubbish. That certainly didn't help his sales.
Marshawn Lynch
6 of 10
Marshawn Lynch getting off to a slow start doesn't mean Beast Mode is going away anytime soon. And if there's one running back in the National Football League who deserves his own shoe, it's clearly Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks.
He's a marketing dream. Lynch has made waves with his anti-media sentiment, his love for Skittles and his pregame fashion statements.
To quote WWE's Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, giving him a shoe is "what's best for business." Based on everything we know already, a Marshawn Lynch "Beast Mode" sneaker would be a hit.
Andrew McCutchen
7 of 10
There are a handful of MLB candidates who would be worthy of their own sneaker. Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates is at the top of that list.
McCutchen is one of the best dudes around. He's done a lot of good with his charity work. When you figure out that he's also a mighty player, the case for giving him a signature pair of kicks becomes even more apparent.
Gwen Knapp of Sports on Earth talked about how big of a star he was almost two years ago. His legend has only grown since that piece came out.
Baseball needs more players like McCutchen. He's an invaluable asset in an era that isn't defined by home runs and steroids. Giving the 28-year-old a platform like having his own sneaker would be a really cool crossover opportunity for the sport.
Andrew Wiggins
8 of 10
Adidas has a bunch of unique NBA talent on its roster, and Andrew Wiggins is a big part of that.
Wiggins soared last season, capturing the NBA Rookie of the Year trophy in dramatic fashion. After the Cleveland Cavaliers dealt him to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he had a lot to prove. His 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game represented a great jumping-off point.
The natural transition here is to give Wiggins his own set of kicks. Nothing else makes sense at this point in time. If he blossoms into an out-of-this-world talent, Adidas will look like heroes.
Enough with the player exclusives and mundane models. Give the Canadian high-flyer his own sneaker to grow with.
Le'Veon Bell
9 of 10
Don't let his two-game suspension fool you—Le'Veon Bell is poised for a massive 2015 campaign.
Sitting with last season's tape is all you need to understand Bell's running brilliance. His vision is crisp, and his execution is second to none. That's why in 2014, Bell picked up 2,215 total yards of offense and scored 11 touchdowns.
The coolest part about Bell is that he's a young, futuristic member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The way the 23-year-old plays the game is a testament to the wonderful offensive era we're living in. Giving Bell a pair of kicks could be a dope way to fuse his talent into the mainstream.
Aaron Rodgers
10 of 10
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers could very well have his own shoe. After inking a deal to join forces with Adidas earlier this month, according to ESPN.com's Darren Rovell, Rodgers has been put in a position to thrive.
His Adidas cleats are just the start. There's no reason to think that Rodgers won't get a full dose of apparel tossed his way. He's way too good of a player and marketing machine to be overlooked.
Allowing No. 12 to have his own sneaker makes complete sense. It doesn't even have to be a fashionable one. It could easily be a cross-trainer. You know, a shoe that Rodgers uses in the gym.
Adidas has a glitzy, Great Gatsby-like opportunity to make some noise here. Hopefully it all pans out.
All stats and information provided by Sports-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.
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