8 collabs between star Western athletes and Asian sportswear brands – should Nike and Adidas fear for their crowns?
Labels like Asics, Li-Ning and Uniqlo are gaining global traction by signing on Western athletes like Emma Raducanu, Stephen Curry and Dwyane Wade
Here are eight of the most prominent athletes who have secured major sponsorship deals with rising Asian labels.
Stephen Curry x Li-Ning
For over a decade, Curry had been a partner of Under Armour, and there was speculation about him signing up with Nike, Adidas or New Balance. He was seen sporting shoes from different brands throughout the latest NBA season, including Li-Ning’s signature trainers along with teammate Jimmy Butler.
The deal between Curry and Li-Ning is reportedly worth US$400 million, and will give the basketball star the opportunity to expand Curry Brand, his self-titled label. Curry and Li-Ning already have plans to launch the NBA player’s brand in China and the US, with the opportunity to expand not only in within the basketball franchise, but also in golf and across the lifestyle space.
Emma Raducanu x Uniqlo
The Uniqlo deal allows Raducanu to sport the label’s designs both during competitions and in her everyday life, while also granting her the chance to participate directly in the creation of her own on-court apparel.
Klay Thompson x Anta
Klay Thompson signed his first shoe deal with major Chinese sports brand Anta in 2014. Three years later, the NBA star signed a 10-year renegotiated extension worth up to US$80 million, and just this year, Anta – the world’s third largest sportswear company by revenue – announced its first lifetime partnership with Thompson.