Credits: Andrew Nelles / USA TODAY NETWORK

“Anthony Edwards Has a Shoe” Noah Lyles Criticizes Adidas and Addresses Misconceptions About Track and Field in America

Credits: Andrew Nelles / USA TODAY NETWORK

Anthony Edwards is one of the most talked about stars in the NBA. He was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 NBA Draft as the no.1 overall pick, and all he needed was a few seasons to be a mega star in the league. Edwards has lived up to the hype and the pressure that comes from being the no.1 overall pick. He has already been to multiple conference finals, has been to the playoffs four times, and has transformed the Timberwolves outlook, going from a team that struggled making the playoffs to a championship contender. While Edwards has stated that he does not want to become the face of the league, his swag, the trash talking, and his competitiveness has many believing that he’s already on the path to become one. Constantly compared to arguably the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan, Edwards is just 23 and is on path to become a true superstar in the NBA.

Edwards’ style of play, his trash talking, and the way he carries himself off the court, led to him getting his own signature shoe deal with Adidas. He signed a multiyear extension with sneaker brand Adidas in 2024, that is reportedly worth around $50 million according to The Athletic. His signature shoe, the AE1, was an incredible success and his next signature shoe, the AE2, is reportedly set to launch sometime during October 2025. While this is an incredible news for the fans and Edwards, American track and field sprinter Noah Lyles is not particularly thrilled with Adidas for this move. Let’s find out more.

Anthony Edwards has a message for the haters in his new adidas ad 🧾 pic.twitter.com/Koc30F9fNn
— JustFreshKicks (@JustFreshKicks) May 31, 2024

Also Read: NBA Finals 2025 Indiana Pacers vs. OKC Thunder: Can Small TV Market Teams Redefine the Ultimate Showdown?

Noah Lyles Slams Adidas Over Anthony Edwards’ Shoe Deal and Track and Field Misconceptions

Noah Lyles is arguably the face of track and field in today’s world, but has called out Adidas for giving priority to NBA star Anthony Edwards over Lyles. “2023 Adidas asked me to come out for shoe signing. It didn’t work because I was doing a fashion walk with Hugo Boss and there was no way I was going to be able to make it back… Then, I’ve been discussing my own contract with Adidas and what I wanted to be in there was a shoe… Anthony Edwards has a shoe and I’m already a six-time world champion… I believe that I’ve done enough that my work is given a signature shoe or at least having the conversation of it. They said that’s not their department.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by theScore (@thescore)

Noah Lyles is widely considered the fastest man on the planet currently. The track and field sprinter secured this title by winning the men’s 100m race in 2023 World Championships at Budapest, Hungary and with with a personal best of 9.784-second time, edging out some of the best from across the world. Lyles also holds the third-fastest 200m time ever, 19.31 seconds, from the 2022 World Championships, behind Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake. Lyles is also famously known for calling out the NBA and NFL, as these leagues claim themselves as “world champions,” when a team wins the championship, which does not sit well with Lyles.

While Anthony Edwards is one of the youngest stars in the NBA, the fact remains that he has not yet won a championship in the NBA, a regular season MVP award, or any of the other major accolades that would put him over the top. Lyles’ frustration with Adidas for not handing out a shoe deal holds some weight as majority of the shoe brands particularly focus on the big league and named players across America and Europe, but have a record of giving less priority to the track and field athletes. However, the NBA is the biggest league across the planet, when it comes to basketball, and their players will continue to get more priority, at least in the near future.

Also Read: Draymond Green Compares Tyrese Haliburton’s Ball Handling Skills With Elites Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving

Adidas

Anthony Edwards

Noah Lyles

Eric Divakaran

nba

nfl

mma

I cover the National Football League and things cannot get better than that. I always dreamed to play football or basketball professionally since I’m built like a Running Back. But now that I can’t, since I’m technically in the “Unc” age, I thought why not pick a career in sports industry? So here I am, doing what I love, and hoping that the Commanders win the Super Bowl. I give love to players when it’s due, but can be critical about their performances at the same time. Enough about me, now let my articles do all the talking.