Sneakers play a huge role in the popularity of an NBA star in this day and age. With the advent of numerous signature sneaker lines across the league, companies spend a huge chunk of their budget to beat their rivals. A new rivalry has been brewing in the world of NBA sneakers for quite some time now. It’s Air Jordan, owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and German giants Adidas.

While the current face of Jordan is without a doubt Luka Doncic, Adidas has some huge star power on their roster.

And in this season of sneaker drops, both Jordan and Adidas have released new sneakers. Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young leads the way for Adidas with his latest sneaker. Interestingly, despite Jordan and Doncic’s huge popularity, Young’s sneaker has made a costlier debut.

Trae Young’s latest sneaker pips Luka Doncic and Michael Jordan

Air Jordan and Adidas is quite possibly the biggest sneaker rivalry in the NBA currently. Jordan has a roster comprising names like Doncic, Jayson Tatum, and Zion Williamson. On the other hand, Adidas has well-established names like James Harden, Trae Young, and Damian Lillard.

Luka 2 “Nebula” under the Jordan brand debuted with a price of $130 worldwide on the 27th of July, 2023. The Slovenian’s signature shoe will be available in five colorways and debuted in Paris.

Just a week after this massive launch, Adidas and Trae Young decided to drop their own signature sneaker to rival Doncic and the Bulls legend’s $1 billion company.

The Trae Young 3 dropped on the 3rd of August for $140 worldwide. Unlike the Luka 2, Ice Trae’s sneakers are only available in 2 colorways.

Interestingly, Young had started promotions for his latest sneaker hours after Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James revealed the look of his next sneaker. The four-time NBA champion will be dropping the LeBron ’21’ sneakers under Nike very soon.

How much do Young and Doncic earn from their deals?

Trae Young and Luka Doncic earn huge salaries from their teams. Young has a 5-year, $215 million deal, while Doncic also has a 5-year, $215 million guaranteed deal.

Apart from their huge salaries, Young and Doncic earn huge amounts from Jordan and Adidas. The Hawks star signed with Adidas in 2018 even before making it to the NBA. That deal earned him $1.8 million annually. With his rapid rise in fame, his deal was renegotiated, and he is making around $10 million, according to The Athletic.

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On the other hand, Jordan signed Luka Doncic in 2019. Prior to this deal, he was a sneaker-free agent, and numerous corporations around the world sought his signature. There are no details about his deal, but it is a five-year, multi-million dollar deal. Zion Williamson makes around $75 million from Jordan, and Doncic might well be earning somewhere around this amount.

What are your thoughts on the latest sneaker drops? Let us know in the comments below.

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