Rick Pitino was heavily criticized when he made a statement that said UofL couldn’t compete because they were an Adidas school. Maybe it wasn’t as funny as once said.
As recently as Friday evening, media reporters weren’t allowed to utter (Louisville) at the Nike EYBL while trying to interview 2016 Maverick Rowan. Louisville is an Adidas program which sponsors the Uprising program which is in Indianapolis this weekend.
Nike, Adidas,& Under Armour not only compete on the shelf, on the field, or court, but apparently for a recruit’s ears while at an event.
All three are hosting events either in Kentucky or Indiana this weekend of April. Since it’s an NCAA live period coaches of all 3 product programs have the luxury of evaluating as many recruits in the 3 day period. This leads to more kids getting scholarships and a load off their parent’s backs.
Granted players don’t receive payment or stipends but sport the newest neon “gear” on the market, their feet, and chest.
Thousands of dollars are pumped into these programs for traveling expenses, shirts, shoes, wristbands, and anything big enough for a logo.
Most say it doesn’t matter what shoes a player has tied on their feet and more important choices lead to their decision.
A prime example Andrew Wiggins. A Nike grassroots recruit that chose Kansas (Adidas) over UK (Nike).
Young kids are impressionable. Always have been but it all comes down to which school you shoes.
