NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 236 Signature Shoes

Jia Fei really didn't want to watch the Finals. Apart from watching them in his previous life, he had absolutely no say in who would win the championship between the Spurs and the Heat. They lost, they were eliminated, and that was it.

"Jay, do you have any specific plans for this offseason?" Kemba Walker asked.

"Jeff told me a couple of days ago that several companies want to sign me and make me signature shoes," Jia Fei said calmly.

"Signature shoes—" Kemba Walker and others exclaimed in unison.

It's important to know that in the NBA, signature shoes are generally only available to top NBA players. There aren't many active stars with signature shoes, such as Runner, Durant, Kobe, and Rose.

NBA stars often achieve both fame and fortune, earning not only from their playing salaries but also from numerous additional sources of income, such as endorsements and investments. Among these, the most significant and crucial source of income is their shoe contracts. Signature shoes are a unique phenomenon, and having one has become a benchmark for superstardom; the more generations a player has, the better.

Jia Fei's idol, Allen Iverson, had 14 signature shoes. The Answer series became a classic sneaker, and many players later also liked to wear it.

If it weren't for Allen Iverson, very few Chinese basketball fans would know the name Reebok. It's worth noting that Chinese superstar Yao Ming was also a member of the Reebok brand.

In his previous life, when Jia Fei was in middle school, Vince Carter was incredibly popular. Back then, Carter's Nike basketball shoes with air columns were amazing, and owning a pair of such shoes was the envy of many classmates.

I never imagined that he would have the chance to get his own signature shoes in the future; just thinking about it is exciting.

In the NBA, there's an old saying: "Centers don't sell shoes." Even a dominant player like Shaquille O'Neal at his peak, his shoes, in terms of both sales and brand recognition, were far less popular than those of perimeter stars like Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Allen Iverson.

Most fans are ordinary people, and the shoes of perimeter stars are more suitable for them. Besides, perimeter stars have cool moves and more ball possession. Imagine wearing McGrady's shoes to pull up for a jump shot, wearing Iverson's shoes to do a crossover, or wearing Carter's shoes to do a windmill dunk on a kindergarten basketball hoop. Just thinking about it is exciting.

Jia Fei is also a star outside player. He won the Slam Dunk Contest, and his signature crossover is a unique sight in the league. He's Asian, handsome, and has a free-spirited personality. He has countless fans worldwide and immense commercial value. Such a star is someone major companies like Nike and Adidas would love to sign.

"Yes, signature shoes! I'll soon have my own signature shoes too!" Jia Fei said happily.

"Sigh, I'm so envious, Ja. I really never thought that one of us would have a signature shoe. I never imagined that you, who almost didn't make the draft, would become a league superstar, someone that companies are scrambling to sign," Kemba Walker remarked.

Jia Fei didn't find Kemba Walker's words offensive; they were indeed true. But if it weren't for the fact that he had combined Iverson's skills and physique, surviving in this cutthroat league would be a joke.

"Jia, will you participate in the development of signature shoes?" Lamb also became interested.

"Well... it's still uncertain. We don't know which brand to choose yet!" Jia Fei shrugged. Indeed, without a brand in mind, a signature shoe design couldn't be finalized.

"What did Jeff say?" Lamb continued. These men were all players under Jeff Schwartz's management, and they had considerable respect for Schwartz's resources and abilities.

"His point is that we shouldn't rush into signing the contract; they should be the ones in a hurry, not us," Jia Fei said truthfully.

“Yeah, Jia, you have such high commercial value and you’re so young. I think even if Nike tries to lower your price, you can just switch to Adidas. By the way, there are many brands in China, have they contacted you yet?” Kemba Walker asked.

Jia Fei nodded: "Yes, Anta and Li Ning both have them, but their overall strength is not as good as Nike and Adidas, and they are less competitive in terms of endorsement contracts."

“Nike has such deep pockets!” Art Mayor exclaimed.

Jia Fei wasn't in a hurry. He thought it was a good thing that there was a lot of competition from other brands, which meant that his market response was very good.

Two days later, Jeff Schwartz contacted Jia Fei again, telling him that the shoe endorsement contract was still being bid on and that the situation was very promising.

Jia Fei readily agreed, as he had absolute faith in Schwarz's abilities. Moreover, they were in the same boat; the larger his contract, the more commission Schwarz, as his agent, would receive.

Nobody turns down money. In America, having money is truly exhilarating. Jia Fei has already felt the immense allure of the US dollar; these past few days have given him a taste of the joy of spending it. Drinking the finest wine, catching the fattest fish—life is short, so seize the day!

"Mr. Jia, do you have any specific plans for the offseason?" Jeff Schwartz asked.

"It hasn't been decided yet," Jia Fei said truthfully.

“Oh, I’d like to arrange a trip to China for you. What do you think?” Jeff Schwartz asked.

"A trip to China!" Jia Fei considered it for a moment, and it really was a good idea. He hadn't returned to China since he transmigrated. He missed every blade of grass and every tree there, he missed everything about it.

“Okay, I completely agree!” Jia Fei immediately agreed.

After ending the call with his agent Jeff Schwartz, Jia Fei told a few of his close friends about his trip to China, and they all said they wanted to go with him.

Go together? Jia Fei thought it was a good idea. They were all under the same agent, so it would be convenient for them to go to China. More importantly, he felt that he would really be a bit lonely if he went alone.

So happily decided!

贾飞的华夏之行安排在6月19日-7月1日，一共12天时间。

Negotiating Jia Fei's sneaker endorsement contract was a lengthy process, handled entirely by his agent, Jeff Schwartz, and his team. He wasn't in a rush; having his own signature shoe was practically a done deal.

If Nike won't give him a signature shoe, Adidas will. If Adidas won't, Under Armour or other brands will. If foreign brands won't give him one, domestic brands like Anta will. He doesn't believe that with his commercial value, he can't secure a signature shoe.

Before going to China, Jia Fei was not idle. In addition to the star endorsement contract, his agent Jeff Schwartz also got him several endorsement contracts. They were going to shoot an advertisement in the beautiful City of Angels, Los Angeles, in the next few days.

Jia Fei is already very experienced in shooting commercials. Compared to TV dramas and movies, commercials don't have many lines; you just need to do some actions and strike a pose!