Young's signature shoe deal with Adidas was actually finalized two months ago, his father saidNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
When Adidas signed Hawks G Trae Young, there was "no guarantee he would get his own shoe," but as time went on, the brand "expressed how enamored it was with Young’s popularity with young kids and his star equity in a city filled with entertainers," according to Chris Kirschner of THE ATHLETIC. Young's father, Ray Young, said that the agreement to give Young his own signature shoe "was finalized two months ago," but the parties "waited to announce the deal when the season returned ... because Atlanta was not one of the 22 teams invited to the bubble." Young's agent, Klutch Sports' Omar Wilkes, "expressed to Adidas Young’s camp didn’t want to wait until this offseason to negotiate a new deal," because Young "didn’t want to go into the offseason having to take pitches" from rival brands. There was "some discussion" on calling Young's signature shoe the "'Ice Trae,' his nickname, but Young and Adidas decided against it." But Ray Young "did hint that there might be a 'Ice Trae' version of the shoe." Kirschner: "Expect to see unique designs with his shoes that appeal to younger kids, much like" what Nets G Kyrie Irving and Nike have done. Irving’s SpongeBob and cereal lines "were mega hits." Ray Young said his son "wants to be the No. 1 shoe seller in the league," and he "wants to outperform everyone at Nike" (THEATHLETIC.com, 12/14).
