Joel Embiid indeed got the last laugh in his much-publicized beef with France. To commemorate his victory and achievement in the Team USA colors, Skechers gifted the Sixer a pair of his own custom ‘Gold Medal’ SKX FLOAT sneakers. But is it the only thing he’d be getting from the shoe brand?

Joel Embiid signed an endorsement contract with Skechers in April this year. Despite the secrecy in the deal’s monetary aspects, The Process became the “face of the company’s basketball division,” through the multi-year deal. Shoe deals don’t upgrade in numbers during the duration of the contract. The company can only insert any hike in earnings or additional clauses during a renewal, once the previous duration of the contract expires. That has been the norm since Michael Jordan changed the sneakers game with Nike.

Now in 2024, almost every single player in the league has a shoe deal and Joel Embiid is not an exception. So, no, Embiid didn’t sign a new contract. This was, however, not his first sneakers deal. He ventured into the world of branded shoes with Adidas in 2014. While he did not get a designated shoe line, he took the court wearing the Adidas Mad Bounce and the Adidas Light Em Up 2.

After Nike, in 2018, Joel Embiid and Under Armour reached a 5-year agreement. Two years later, the UA Embiid 1 was released, the first of Joel Embiid’s signature shoe line. Historically, it had added significance as the 7-footer became the first NBA Centre to have a signature shoe. But that wasn’t enough to please the big man as the two parted ways in 2023.

Why did Joel Embiid leave Under Armour?

Prominent NBA names have switched between shoe brands to make themselves the face of the company. Kyrie Irving signed with Anta, which gave him the role of Chief Creative Officer. Nikola Jokic also switched to the Chinese brand  361 Degrees after leaving Nike in December 2023. Dwyane Wade was the leading name in Converse and Jordan Brand before joining Li-Ning for undisputed face value. Joel Embiid had something similar in mind when he joined Under Armour.

“When I sat down with Under Armour, one of the first things we talked about was how this can be bigger than just shoes, bigger than just basketball,” Embiid said after signing with UA. “I want to help change people’s lives like Luc changed my life.”

The feeling was mutual, as the $3.5 billion brand found value in the NBA MVP. “Joel is young, and he’s very provocative. He has this rebellious, charismatic spirit. It’s somewhat Ali-like, in terms of his bravado and his confidence,” Kris Stone, Under Armour’s senior Director of Global Sports Marketing for basketball said in the aftermath of roping the center. But their relationship never progressed ahead of the 5-year timeline stated in the contract.

Surprisingly, UA Embiid 1 was the only shoe released in his signature line in 5 years, which raised the question if the company was completely invested in him. He was also featured in only one commercial campaign titled, ‘What Are The Odds?’ during his time with the brand.

“From what I’ve seen, there were not a lot of Embiid products, and that would suggest that his shoes might not have been big sellers,” David Swartz, an Under Armour analyst for Morningstar, said.

So the reason for Joel Embiid was simple. It never really amounted to what would be expected of him. It didn’t give him a LeBron James effect; it didn’t provide him with UA’s top name, Steph Curry-esque stardom. Sure, his performance was a dictating component in achieving those standards, but a shoe deal often makes the identity of the player, which didn’t really happen for The Process. On top of it, the Splash Brother had multiple signature shoes, golf apparel, and sports accessories under his name. Embiid had none!

So it wouldn’t be wrong to assume that Joel Embiid wanted to be the biggest fish in a bigger pond. As of August 12, Skechers has a net worth of $9.51 billion, establishing his current partner as a superior force in the sneaker market. After all, shoe deals are mostly about identity and legacy, aren’t they?

How do you feel about the Sixer signing for Skechers after Julius Randle and Terance Mann, the Kicks’ brand’s first NBA athletes?