As the start of the regular season nears, sneaker brands are making their final push to impress Giannis Antetokounmpo, the most-coveted sneaker free agent of the season.
Antetokounmpo's deal with Nike is set to expire on Sept. 30, with the Oregon-based company reserving the right to match any incoming offers for his services. The 22-year-old has had an unforeseen rise to fame after coming in as an unknown prospect from Greece in 2013.
The Greek Freak is hosting all brands interested in a rented loft in downtown Milwaukee, preferring for them to come to him as he gears up for the start of the season, according to ESPN's Nick DePaula.
Adidas was one of the key presentations, showing off athletes like Muhammad Ali, Jesse Owens, and Arthur Ashe; all of which wore Adidas at some point in their careers— offering to make the young Bucks star the next in line for the company.
Just recently, the company showed up with a truck full of sneakers, offering some of the latest lines for him to wear, and noting several times how they've surpassed Jordan Brand as one of the most popular in the market.
Aside from Nike and Adidas, Chinese competitor Li-Ning has made a strong push for Antetokounmpo, with each of the brands offering him his own signature shoe for the 2018-19 season.
For the season at hand, the 6-foot-11 unicorn will likely don one of the brands' newest models — the Adidas Crazy Explosive 2017, Nike Kobe A.D. or Li-Ning Yu Shuai 11.
With 35-year-old Dwyane Wade as its most-recognizable athlete, Li-Ning is a dark horse candidate that is expected to put it all on the line to pry him away from Nike, hoping to add a globally-popular star to its roster.
If Antetokounmpo chooses to sign with another brand, Nike will have up to 20 business days to match the offer, making negotiations likely to continue into the regular season.
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