Jeremy Lin has signed a new endorsement contract with Adidas AG that includes public appearances in Asia, where the Harvard graduate said he will be counted on to help the company overtake Nike Inc.
“I definitely have international appeal,” the Houston Rockets point guard and the first Taiwanese-American to play in the NBA said on Monday in a telephone interview.
“There will be tours in Asia — that’s part of the package,” he said.
Photo: EPA
Lin joined Herzogenaurach, Germany-based Adidas following the end of his agreement with Nike, which, he said, chose not to match the offer.
The 25-year-old declined to comment on the financial terms of the new contract.
Lin said he would not have his own line of shoes in the short term, but that he would have input on product development and design.
“Adidas wouldn’t have made a pitch to me if they didn’t believe in me as a player and person,” said Lin, who joins Rockets teammate Dwight Howard and former most valuable player Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls as Adidas pitchmen.
Other basketball endorsers of the company include Washington’s John Wall and Portland’s Damian Lillard.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed by Adidas, which as of July had 11 percent of China’s sportswear market, trailing Nike’s 12 percent, according to data from Euromonitor International.
Nike dominates the basketball shoe market globally, with Adidas a distant second.
In the US, Nike possesses more than 90 percent of revenue between its namesake and Jordan brands, while Adidas has 5 percent, according to researcher SportsOneSource.
Lin and retired All-Star Yao Ming, who also played for the Rockets, have bolstered basketball’s popularity in the world’s most populous nation China, fueling viewership and apparel sales.
The 2.3m Yao played with the Houston Rockets from 2002 to 2011. During that time Toyota Motor Corp put its name on the team’s arena and other Asia-based companies sought affiliations with the Rockets.
Lin skyrocketed to fame during the 2011-2012 season, which he spent with the New York Knicks.
His rise became known as Linsanity, the label attached to the worldwide hysteria that the player himself moved to trademark.
He joined the Rockets before last season after the Knicks declined to match Houston’s three-year, US$25 million contract offer.
Lin is averaging 14.1 points and 4.2 assists this season for the Rockets, who have a 22-13 record, second only to the San Antonio Spurs in the Southwest Division.
“They just want me to be myself,” Lin said of officials at Adidas.
“Play basketball, take care of myself — the way that I’ve been striving to do,” he said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two