It seems like Dwyane Wade is getting set to depart the Jordan brand for another name. Li-Ning is reportedly the next company to host the marketability of one D-Wade.
Hearing from several people that Dwyane Wade will likely leave Jordan Brand and sign with Li-Ning. Huge shift.
— Nick DePaula (@_NDP) August 17, 2012
Though they may be unfamiliar to the casual fan, Li-Ning isn’t exactly an unknown company in the shoe game. Players Evan Turner and Baron Davis are currently spokespeople for the relatively new company (in comparison to the giants in the biz). It must be said that if Wade’s shift were to turn out to be true, we’re looking at a shoe company going from dipping their toes in the market waters, to the marketing equivalent of a cannon ball.
Dwyane Wade has been amongst the most advertising-friendly players in basketball, if not all sports. Li-Ning would be Wade’s third different signing with a shoe company. Converse was a great example of what a player like Wade can do for any shoe company. Converse saw strong revenue numbers from all of Wade’s shoe models. There isn’t as much information available concerning Wade’s (apparently brief) stint with Jordan, but it wouldn’t be hard to imagine strong sales figures. At the very least, he became the center of some of the best sneaker commercials we’ve seen in a while:
As with any major venture, Li-Ning is looking at a risk in signing Wade. When the Converse Wade 4’s debuted back in 2008, for $90 retail no less, Wade took nearly a year to finally get around to wearing them in a game. Wade and his agent claimed that he was very comfortable in his Wade 1’s and that “since he was preoccupied with the Olympics, didn’t have time to get used to [the Wade 4’s]”. Converse ended up avoiding too much pain in the sales department by re-releasing the Wade 1’s.
Again, Dwyane Wade is amongst basketball’s most marketable players. Despite recently playing second fiddle to Lebron James in Miami, Wade represents an opportunity for Li-Ning to really break into the basketball sneakers market. If the signing is confirmed, look for rumored designs to sprout up all over the net.
Mohamed Abdihakim is a journalism student at Florida Atlantic University. He is a Phoenix Suns fan, who is not prepared for the possibility of Nash winning a title in a Lakers jersey. Interests include International basketball, Mad Men , and blues music.
Twitter handle: @Abdi_hakim
