Duncan, T-Mac, KG lead Adidas surge

PORTLAND, Oregon–It’s appropriate that during the Christmas season, they should be called basketball’s version of the Magi because Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett are Three Wise Men who keep in step with the changing technologies of athletic footwear.

Duncan, McGrady and Garnett–not necessarily in that order–are the leading cage endorsers for Adidas. They’re spearheading the charge that, according to director marketing for global basketball David Bond, will eventually transform Adidas into the greatest hoops brand of all time.

As Adidas endorsers, they epitomize what’s exciting, innovative and revolutionary in basketball footwear and apparel.

The three stars get involved in the design and creation of their signature shoes. That’s their way of guaranteeing the shoes are an expression of how they perform on the court.

Bond said aside from the three, Adidas is looking to promote seven more players to put 10 signature shoes in the market by 2007. Gilbert Arenas and Dwight Howard are among those being lined up for signature shoes.

"We’re expecting a lot of positive things from Gilbert and Dwight," said Bond in a briefing for Filipino visitors, including the Adidas Asian Streetball champions, here the other day. "Gilbert, for instance, has a good chance of becoming the NBA’s leading scorer as early as next year and Dwight is now a dominant force in the middle."

But the anchors remain Duncan, T-Mac and KG.

Duncan will launch the high-tech, computerized shoe "with a brain" at the All-Star Game in Houston this February. The shoe features a microprocessor capable of making five million calculations a second, a sensor that takes 1,000 readings a second and a motor that spins at 6,000 rpm, faster than the blades of a helicopter.

The shoe has been in the development stage for over a year and is the basketball version of the "intelligent" shoe that was previously designed for running.

"It has the capability of gathering information, analyzing it and deciding what to do," said innovation team leader Mic Lussier. "The shoe adapts to the needs of the player in real time. It’s a smarter version of the running shoe because it has better cushioning. It’s stronger and faster. It senses, understands and adapts. There is a built-in computer program that filters information and uses it to enhance performance."

The shoe has undergone severe testing and so far, the feedback has been positive. Pros like Tony Allen, Randy Felton and Devin Harris tried it out in a closed-door testing last July and they’re excited about its revolutionary features. The shoe will sell for $250 when it hits the stores next year.

Duncan called it a perfect shoe. "Tim is a electronics geek who loves gadgets," said Travis Gonzalez, public relations head for global basketball. "When he tried the shoe, he loved it."

McGrady’s T-Mac shoe series are Adidas’ biggest sellers. The T-Mac 1 has been reintroduced in 18 colorways and the T-Mac 5’s first pairs are now selling at e-bay for $600 to $1,000 each from an original price of $150.

McGrady will wear an All-Star edition of the T-Mac 5 at the All-Star Game in Houston and the shoe will be colored like a rocket ship.

McGrady is now working on T-Mac 6 which will make him a more explosive player. He has also approved the design of a lightweight Team-Mac shoe for his teammates and a T-Mac trainer model that will use new technology to anticipate lateral speed drills.

"T-Mac is a natural in that the game comes easy to him," said Bond. "He’s the hardest working player there is. He’s got a secret training program that he will soon expose. When he was in high school, he wasn’t that good a shooter and he was 30 pounds lighter. But look at him now. For T-Mac 6, he wants a shoe that will make him even quicker and we’re designing a shoe that will give instant split second explosiveness and an unfair advantage over his opponents."

Garnett was described by Bond as the most involved of the three stars in conceptualizing his signature shoe.

"He’s involved every step of the way," said Bond. "He looks at every detail, including lace length. In designing his shoe, he wanted to feel bouncier, springier and lighter. He wanted more lift. His whole shoe, from heel to toe, has the a-cube technology."

Next year, Garnett will launch his 4XL limited edition shoe where proceeds are earmarked for his foundation to finance the internship of minorities in corporations.

Last season, Adidas developed about 150 different basketball shoe designs with at least 500 SKUs in various styles and colorways.

With Adidas’ recent acquisition of Reebok, the company has served notice that it will stop at nothing in pursuit of excellence.