Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has been an Adidas signature athlete since 2020 and signed a lucrative multi-year extension in July 2024, becoming the face of the brand.
During his offseason tour of the Philippines, Edwards took aim at rival shoe company Nike with an explicit freestyle.
Video footage shows Edwards on stage with a microphone in what appears to be a nightclub. The Timberwolves star can be heard rapping an acapella Nike diss.
“Dope boy 95 AEs on. We don’t f**k with Nikes, you can send them home,” the Olympic medalist exclaimed.
It is unclear what prompted Edwards to make a lyrical diss at Nike. Perhaps the Timberwolves star just wanted to reinforce his pride in Adidas, where he has released three signature shoes.
Either way, the video has gone viral on social media, drawing over 100,000 likes across Instagram and Facebook.
Anthony Edwards is an Adidas Signature Athlete
Drafted No. 1 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 NBA Draft, Edwards signed with Adidas that same year.
His first shoe, the AE1, was released in November 2023 and became a best seller, according to Reuters.
Weeks before he helped Team USA secure gold in the Paris Olympics, Edwards signed a multi-year extension with Adidas.
“Minnesota Timberwolves All-NBA star Anthony Edwards has signed a multi-year contract extension with Adidas that sources say reaches eight figures annually,” Shams Charania reported in July 2024. “Significant new deal cements Edwards as a face of Adidas.”
Complex Sneakers reported that the shoe deal is worth over $10 million annually.
Internet Reacts to Anthony Edwards’ Nike Diss
Social media exploded when Anthony Edwards took to the stage to diss Nike, and some of the comments are pure comedy.
Here’s a collection of some of the best reactions on the internet.
“Anthony Edwards standing on business for Three Stripes,” Bleacher Report Kicks wrote on Instagram.
“Nike got served papers in surround sound,” a user replied.
Another user commented, “Adidas about to give him a lifetime deal.”
“Ant please don’t get canceled from Adidas like Kanye did,” another wrote.
“Lmaooo Adidas executives loving this,” an Instagram user wrote.
Another user replied, “They gotta make this a commercial.”
As fun as it was to see Edwards play the role of emcee, the 25-year-old won’t be trading hooping for hip-hop anytime soon.
This upcoming season, the Minnesota Timberwolves once again have championship aspirations with Edwards at the helm.
Last month, the Timberwolves acquired guards LaMelo Ball and Josh Green from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for forward Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, three second-round picks and three future first-round pick swaps.
Ball, who was drafted second overall behind Edwards in the 2020 NBA Draft, expressed his excitement about teaming with the Adidas star.
“I’ve known Anthony Edwards for a minute,” Ball said July 15. “We’ve been talking, everybody excited, we’re ready to get to work.”
Ball arrives after the best all-around season of his career.
He averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds across 72 games, his healthiest season since 2021-22, while shooting 36.8 percent from three and finishing second in the league in made threes.
Edwards is also coming off a career year.
The former No. 1 pick averaged a career-high 28.8 points on 48.9 percent shooting last season.
The dynamic backcourt duo will be exciting to watch next season.
Anthony Edwards Sounds Off on Billion-Dollar Company: “F**k Nike”