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Candace Parker, one of the most decorated players in WNBA history, recently announced her retirement after 16 seasons. She called an end to a career that included two MVP awards, championships at every level, and two Olympic gold medals. Parker leaves a sneaker legacy with Adidas that ranks among the longest-running brand partnerships in the sport. And it’s only just beginning.
On Wednesday, Adidas announced Parker will become the new president of Adidas Women’s Basketball.
According to the brand, “Parker will collaborate with the brand to create a powerful platform aimed at influencing and elevating the future of women’s sports. She will drive innovative strategies and empowering initiatives to push the game further while inspiring the next generation of hoopers to dream bigger and reach higher under her guidance.
“Parker’s role will also involve overseeing the adidas Women’s Basketball product line, and spearheading further development of the brand’s storied women’s roster—which boasts all-stars like Aliyah Boston, Erica Wheeler, Sophie Cunningham, and Kahleah Copper, to name a few.”
Parker’s new role is the fulfillment of a dream she had years ago. “I’ve been actually unofficially with Adidas since 2003, which is when my high school team got sponsored by Adidas,” Parker told Andscape in 2018.
As a young hooper in her hometown of Naperville, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, she laced up in Adidas while competing for her AAU team. That trend continued into her time at Naperville Central High School, where she quickly rose to national prominence.
Sporting an Adidas trefoil headband and Pro Models that she purchased after saving up her summer allowance, Parker guided her team to multiple state championships and was named High School Player of the Year twice. Parker was the first woman in Illinois to dunk when she was just 15 years old in 2001.
Parker’s early accomplishments in Adidas attire at Naperville Central laid the foundation for her enduring partnership with the brand.
Parker’s dominance in high school attracted widespread attention from college recruiters. She committed to the University of Tennessee in November 2003, where she was mentored by Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt.
“I don’t know whether it was fate, but I went to an Adidas college at Tennessee, and then when I came out of college it was just natural to sign with Adidas just because I’d been with them,” Parker said. “It had become more like a family. I knew everybody within the company. They wanted to grow with me and have that type of partnership.”
Parker led Tennessee to consecutive NCAA national championships in 2007 and 2008 was named the Final Four’s most outstanding player both years. Parker’s dunks and versatile style of play captivated fans. Parker left an indelible mark at Tennessee, receiving two consensus National Player of the Year awards, solidifying her status as one of women’s college basketball’s greatest players.
Parker’s burgeoning stardom attracted interest from numerous sneaker companies hoping to secure her endorsement before she started her pro career. Parker’s agent was Aaron Goodwin, co-founder of Goodwin Sports Management, renowned for brokering shoe deals for such superstar NBA players as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, and Damian Lillard. After being selected with the first overall pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2008 WNBA draft, Parker continued her long-standing partnership with Adidas, and this time it was official.
“There were a number of companies looking to partner with me, but Adidas’ commitment to the game of basketball, their WNBA partnership, their future direction and how I could be an extensive part of that made me feel like this was the perfect fit for my future,” Parker said in a news release in 2008.
According to Goodwin, Parker signed a multiyear, multimillion-dollar deal with Adidas, though the brand kept the terms of the agreement private. The lucrative pact would have yielded significantly more than her reported $44,000 rookie-scale WNBA contract. There was optimism that Parker and established WNBA stars such as Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, and Lauren Jackson could increase the league’s popularity and fan base.
Parker’s Adidas deal also included a signature sneaker line, then a rare deal for athletes fresh out of college.
“Young girls will resonate with Candace and someday lace up basketball shoes with her name on the sides,” Goodwin said at the time.
Signing a rich sneaker deal came with significant responsibility for Parker. The pressure to perform at an elite level not only had basketball implications but also had the potential to influence brands to invest more significantly in female athletes. Parker lived up to her billing: On May 17, 2008, she made her WNBA debut, scoring 34 points against the defending champion Phoenix Mercury, the highest for a WNBA rookie.
In June 2008, Parker became the second woman in WNBA history to dunk in a game, a moment that set a record for single-day steaming on the official WNBA website. By the end of her rookie campaign, Parker became the first WNBA player to win both Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld.
“The successful future of the WNBA is defined by talented, team-oriented young players like Candace Parker,” said Jim Gatto, former head of global sports marketing for Adidas. “Candace has shown throughout her basketball career that she can and will do whatever her team needs to win.”
During her rookie and sophomore seasons with the Sparks, Parker wore player exclusive Adidas performance models while her signature sneaker was being developed. Models such as the Piranha 3.0, a carryover from her time at Tennessee, were emblazoned with Parker’s freshly designed Ace 3 signature logo, the work of UNDRCRWN founder and graphic designer Dustin O. Canalin. Inspired by her nickname Ace, a take on the last three letters of her name, the Ace 3 logo was important in establishing her identity separate from the CP3 nickname she shared with NBA star Chris Paul.
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The defining moment of Parker’s sneaker legacy occurred in 2010 with the debut of her Adidas Ace Commander signature model. It marked Adidas’ first signature basketball sneaker crafted for a woman. The Ace Commander was designed with Parker’s input, incorporating elements tailored to her playing style and preferences. Among her requests were a midfoot support strap for enhanced stability and a multicolored outsole inspired by her fondness for Skittles candy. The result was a shoe reminiscent of a battle-ready tank, modernized with a sleek cut and a repeating spark pattern for a touch of femininity. Released in Sparks-inspired colorways and several Team Bank editions created to match the colors commonly used for team uniforms, the Ace Commander realized what Parker envisioned for herself as a young woman back home in Chicago.
“There are so many people, that when I was growing up, I’d tell them, ‘I’m going to have my own shoe’.” Parker told Andscape in 2021. “They would say, ‘Well, girls don’t do that.’ I’m like, ‘Well, good thing I’m not a girl. I’m a woman — so we’re going to do this.’”
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Next up for Parker was the Ace Versatility, her second signature shoe for the 2011 season. Once again, Parker played a pivotal role in the design process, providing insight that shaped its features. The shoe boasted a removable cross-strap for customizable support, durable carbon fiber overlays, and a distinctive flowing stitch pattern along the collar spelling out “Ace.” Purple and yellow Sparks-inspired colorways of the Ace Versatility were produced alongside exclusive collegiate editions for top programs such as Tennessee, Michigan and Louisville.
Following the 2011 season and throughout the rest of her time in Los Angeles, Parker returned to wearing custom versions of Adidas’ biggest statement models, including pairs from the Crazy Light and Crazy Explosive series. The Ace Versatility was the last signature shoe created for a woman until New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart introduced her Puma model in 2022.
In April, Nike signed Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, marking the fourth-straight signature deal awarded to a white woman. The Ace Versatility had been the most recent signature basketball shoe tailored for a Black woman, igniting discussion about the disparity in signature opportunities for Black women, who make up 73% of WNBA athletes.
In 2021, Parker realized a lifelong dream to play for the Chicago Sky. Adidas created the Candace Parker Collection of footwear and apparel to commemorate her emotional homecoming. Unlike a traditional signature model, the collection was centered on the Exhibit Ace, a player-exclusive edition that crossed into retail availability. Parker’s colorways were had the theme of women empowerment, with elements honoring Summit, Parker’s daughter Lailaa, and her basketball career.
“I feel like every part of my life has been represented in my shoes,” Parker said in 2021. “From my Tennessee days to Naperville, out to LA and then back home again.”
Fresh off bringing a WNBA championship to Chicago, Parker returned for the 2022 season in the Adidas Exhibit B. The Candace Parker Collection Part II was highlighted by a wide range of Exhibit B colorways that were tributes to powerful women in Parker’s life, especially the “Lailaa” pair dedicated to her daughter. The shoe was styled in gray, green, and yellow, which are her favorite colors, and her name was printed on the heel.
“It means a lot to be able to have a shoe that’s dedicated to Lailaa and all the memories we’ve been able to make because of basketball,” Parker said. “I owe her everything.”
After two seasons with the Sky, Parker signed with the defending champion Las Vegas Aces for the 2023 season. Early in her stint with the Aces, she played in the Adidas Exhibit Select, a shoe engineered for women. Parker helped design exclusive colorways featuring her Ace logo, released as part of the Candace Parker Collection Part III. It marked a return to marketing sneakers tailored to address the modern demands of the women’s game. “Having a women’s shoe, that’s pretty dope,” she said.
Parker’s lone season in Las Vegas ended when she was sidelined after surgery on her fractured left foot. The pain persisted however, prompting her retirement announcement April 29.
Parker’s sneaker legacy with Adidas represents more than just a lucrative endorsement deal. It embodies her dedication to empowering female athletes. Throughout her career, Parker consistently voiced her ambition to leave basketball in a better state than she found it, a mission that extended to reshaping the sneaker business for women. Her success in securing high-level compensation, signature products, campaign features, and long-term investment by her brand serves as a blueprint for women negotiating deals. Through her determination, Parker has inspired generations of girls who have been able to play in her signature sneakers, just as she once envisioned for herself as a young athlete.
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By: Brandon Richard
Title: WNBA legend Candace Parker earned her stripes in long partnership with Adidas
Sourced From: andscape.com/features/candace-parker-adidas-basketball-sneakers-legacy/
Published Date: Wed, 08 May 2024 12:40:55 +0000
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