Simply forward of the 2025 NBA Draft, Adidas formally signed each VJ Edgecombe and Jeremiah Fears to the roster, including a duo of explosive guards that undertaking to be two of essentially the most thrilling prospects in the whole class.
Every of the excessive risers and gifted playmakers was taken within the lottery, with Edgecombe chosen third by Philadelphia and Fears taken seventh by New Orleans. With each the 76ers and Pelicans betting huge on every younger gun, the duo will proceed to take the subsequent step of their professional path as they start their Summer time League play.
In the event that they hoop as anticipated on the courtroom all through their rookie seasons, Adidas has already proven a willingness to construct a sudden advertising push round every participant. Each gamers took be aware of how The Three Stripes quick tracked its push round Damian Lillard and Anthony Edwards within the final decade, after every participant took the league by storm of their first two seasons.
“For them to place their model in somebody so younger’s fingers, it’s figuring out my alternative may very well be there very quickly, if I proceed to do what I gotta do and deal with enterprise,” mentioned Fears. “With the ability to see Ant tackle that position and develop into the face of the Three Stripe Life is dope.”
With the 23-year-old “Ant Man” having already efficiently launched his first signature shoe, the duo subsequent up is hoping to make an analogous impression with the model.
“He solidified himself and constructed that fanbase, the place everybody would wish to put on his footwear,” added Edgecombe. “They wish to soar like Ant or play like Ant. I really feel like I’ve related traits to that.”
We not too long ago acquired up with each VJ and Jeremiah on the Adidas showroom in New York, to listen to extra concerning the greatest elements that went into signing with The Three Stripes.
Three Keys for VJ ///
For Edgecombe — who performed on the Adidas AAU circuit heading into his senior yr of highschool and blew up at Adidas EuroCamp in Italy to kick off the 2023 summer time — the model has been proper there all alongside for his upward trajectory via the prep ranks.
These had been the important thing elements that led VJ to The Three Stripes:
Affect within the Bahamas
It’s one factor to signal with a model as an envoy and assist headline assertion sneakers on the professional degree. It’s one other to work collectively out the gate to plan out a sequence of activations and givebacks to impression the area that made you.
As his Adidas deal was being finalized throughout the early spring, Edgecombe knew he needed to present again within the Bahamas off prime. In April, he held a basketball camp for 50 youngsters in his hometown of Bimini, the place he additionally formally declared for the NBA Draft. Every comfortable camper was given a pair of the newest AdiZero hoop shoe and a branded shirt that merely learn: “Bimini To The World”
“It was nice, as a result of rising up, I didn’t have that,” Edgecombe beamed. “I simply wish to be that position mannequin for the youthful youngsters again house, simply figuring out how onerous it’s typically. Not everyone seems to be lucky sufficient to have the ability to go and purchase a pair of footwear, so I needed to present again.”
Having already performed on the Bahamas nationwide workforce all through worldwide competitors, and even weaving the vivid blue and yellow nationwide shade accents into his Draft evening go well with sleeves, Edgecombe is proud to hold his Bahamas heritage with him on his basketball journey and proceed to champion the foundational traits he discovered again house.
“Staying disciplined and staying true to who you might be. Staying humble is one thing that I discovered as time went on,” he described. “You ain’t going to simply get recruited for D1 out of the Bahamas. The fundamental ideas that I used to be taught by my mother, my grandma and my totally different position fashions have helped me. I’m going to attempt to do as a lot as I can.”
The Dame Impact
Everybody has a NBA star they appear as much as, and for Edgecombe, his hoop idol was enjoying throughout the continent in Portland.
“Rising up, Dame was my favourite participant. I used to rock his footwear and thought I used to be Dame, to be trustworthy,” laughs VJ, as he motions a well-practiced “Dame Time” wrist faucet.
Watching the Adidas lifetime-deal-holding Lillard from afar, Edgecombe acquired accustomed to the Dame signature sequence of sneakers whereas emulating the explosive Prime 75 scoring guard.
“Going into my senior yr was the primary time I performed on the Adidas circuit. I went on the market and did what I anticipated, and I opened some eyes,” he displays. “I used to all the time put on Damian Lillard’s footwear. I had the Dame 3, 4, 5 and 6. I had all of them!”
As he rose the ranks in Excessive College, Edgecombe was even invited to Lillard’s “Components Zero” camp, a hands-on sequence of expertise periods that additionally focuses on the integrity, the dedication, and the mindset that it takes to make a professional.
“Dame is a superb individual — tremendous humble and all the way down to earth,” continued Edgecombe. “He can have a ego, however he doesn’t, due to who he’s.”
Edgecombe went on to be named Components Zero Elite Camp MVP by the top of that summer time session in 2024. As the 2 continued to develop a relationship after the Components Zero camp, VJ thinks again to how Lillard continued to succeed in out and verify in, even in instances that he was searching for steering and help.
“After my first recreation in school, I had a foul recreation,” remembers Edgecombe. “He hit me and mentioned, ‘You’re going to get within the stream of the sport.’ He was giving me recommendation and telling me how in basketball, you’re going to have unhealthy video games, however you may’t let that have an effect on the remainder of your time.”
As Edgecombe begins his rookie season in Philly, he plans to put on quite a lot of sneakers to focus on the entire newest designs and improvements from the model. He’ll additionally positively be sporting the brand new Dame 10, bringing his sneaker rotation full circle and highlighting his favourite gamers’ signature sequence on the largest stage.
Constructing With Household
Due to the connection he had constructed with the oldsters behind the scenes on the model over the previous few years, that familiarity added to the attract of formally partnering as a professional.
“I all the time had a sense that I used to be going to signal with Adidas,” he says now. “Since I performed AAU with them and went to EuroCamp, it simply opened my eyes as much as the model and gave me a full perspective of what’s occurring with the model.”
The method for gamers to land their shoe deal is fully totally different now within the NIL panorama. Relatively than wait til the spring simply weeks earlier than the Draft, Edgecombe had been having ongoing talks with a number of manufacturers that expressed curiosity over the past yr.
He needed to take his time with the shoe deal, and as an alternative signed main offers with the likes of Panini and PSD Underwear throughout his freshman season at Baylor.
Relatively than pocket all of his NIL cash, he created a scholarship fund at Gateway Christian Academy in his hometown, the place he’ll cowl the tutoring, books and extra assets for no less than three college students every college yr.
Edgecombe highlights how he’s already centered in on “make investments and develop my cash, as an alternative of losing it and spending all of it,” all earlier than he truly steps foot on the NBA hardwood for his common season debut.
“I’m so comfortable that NIL got here round whereas I used to be there in school,” Edgecombe beamed. “There’s positively execs and cons, however there’s lots of execs. It helped me deal with my household. It’s helped my mother and my little sister.”
As manufacturers reached out final fall forward of Edgecombe’s anticipated one-and-done season at Baylor, he leaned on the significance of household all through his life, and the familiarity he already had with Adidas.
“After I signed, it was nonetheless throughout my freshman yr in school,” revealed Edgecombe. “I mentioned, ‘This can be a household, and I’m going to maintain doing no matter I can do inside that to assist develop the model.’”
Three Keys for Jeremiah ///
Unbeknownst to Jeremiah Fears, simply earlier than he started his freshman season at Oklahoma, Adidas execs had tabbed him as one in every of their very favourite gamers in the whole 2025 Draft class that they hoped to signal.
As talks along with his brokers at LIFT Sports activities Administration heated up this spring and he shot up the mock draft boards after his spectacular single Sooner season, Fears was locked in on the imaginative and prescient that the model noticed forward for him. He now credit a trio of key parts in the direction of his signing with The Three Stripes:
Jeremiah 1s??
For each Edgecombe and Fears, the attract of breaking via as a pinnacle Adidas participant proved to be a significant component.
“The connection they’ve with their guys, and doubtlessly having a signature shoe sooner or later was huge,” Fears mentioned.
Whereas his recreation is relentless on the ground, Fears additionally factors to quite a lot of different qualities he brings to the desk that manufacturers noticed appreciable attraction in.
“My mentality, being distinctive and my creativity,” he mentioned. “I’m excited for the journey.”
As he landed offers like his main Adidas endorsement and a Tissot partnership forward of the Draft, his understanding of the advertising world at simply 18 years-old was already quick tracked due to the NIL panorama.
“It’s been dope, with the ability to expertise the whole lot earlier than it’s time for the large leagues,” mentioned Fears. “With the ability to undergo photoshoots, meet so many new individuals and construct relationships — and being somebody that manufacturers know they’ll belief and market effectively — has been actually cool for me.”
He’s been holding tabs of the qualities that signature athletes on the highest degree will need to have. How their prime tier recreation is matched off the courtroom by a presence that carries them into touchpoints of vogue, music and tradition past simply hoops.
“The swag is a little bit totally different,” he provides. “The way you carry your self and how one can advertise on a giant stage.”
As Fears goals of his personal low-top signature silhouette within the years forward, he’s conscious of the work that’ll he’ll must put in in the direction of build up his model and his standing within the sneaker recreation.
“Finally, you wish to have little youngsters wanting as much as you,” he continued. “That wish to go get the Jeremiah 1s.”
The DRose Impact
Rising up lower than an hour exterior of Chicago, a younger Jeremiah quickly had a childhood idol to comply with as he was in elementary college. He beloved how the Bulls’ homegrown #1 decide and franchise participant hooped.
When Derrick Rose exploded via visitors and attacked the lane with an arsenal of finishes and floaters, he was showcasing the place the brand new period of scoring level guards was headed. The longer term technology in Fears was following.
As DRose headlined his personal Adidas signature sequence and placed on for the model, Fears couldn’t assist however discover, and be impressed.
“With the ability to get Derrick Rose’s first pair of basketball footwear, I wore these for a very long time,” he says now. “Taking part in on his AAU workforce as effectively, was my earliest reminiscence of choosing up extra Three Stripes footwear. I used to be on his workforce within the sixth grade. We ended up going to Alabama for a Huge Time Event on the Adidas Gauntlet and that was dope.”
Fears works out earlier than the Draft with Professional Hoops Inc. within the Harden Vol. 9. (Courtesy @highlights.from.heaven & @ProHoopsInc)
Beginning out with a love for Rose’s line, Fears started to regulate the entire key Adidas guards that adopted.
“Ant Man, Dame Lillard and James Harden, I’ve beloved all of their kicks,” Fears says, pondering again via the final decade of Three Stripes staples.
As he takes his personal step into the professional stage, he’ll quickly be going through off towards every of the gamers he regarded as much as throughout his prep profession. He now formally feels a shared Adidas connection along with his fellow endorsers, as one of many model’s subsequent up-and-coming guards.
“Sooner or later, we’ll construct that relationship,” mentioned the 18 year-old. “After I play towards them, I gained’t put on their signature shoe towards them although. However I’ll positively present them lots of love.”
For Fears, there’s nonetheless a line to attract as a competitor.
“It’s off limits, positively,” he added, with a smile. “That might be a one up factor, and I don’t need no person to have a one up on me. I gained’t put on their footwear towards them, however positively after I’m enjoying towards another person.”
For his rookie season, search for Fears to assist headline the brand new Dame X, together with a key rotation of sneakers from Anthony Edwards and James Harden’s traces.
“Three Stripes have been doing one thing particular for awhile now,” continued Fears. “With the ability to be be a part of the workforce and be a part of the wave is nice. The Harden Vol 9s are nice. I actually benefit from the materials on the shoe and the best way the shoe is designed, it stands proud to me. The texture and luxury is wonderful.”
Persevering with To Grind
Over time, Fears has discovered a number of phrases that resonated and pushed him. Mantras that he rallied behind which have led him to already reaching a few of his greatest goals. Some he’s even tattooed alongside his left leg for inspiration.
“Dream Till Its Your Actuality”
“Be Completely different”
“The Creator of My Personal Future”
Even his #0 jersey choice went viral for its double which means: “Zero Fears”
Since a younger age, one phrase caught out amongst all of them. Only a seventh grader on the time, Fears was typically coaching with fellow Chicago-area native and eventual professional DJ Steward, when he first heard of his charging tagline.
“I simply requested him,” Fears says now. “‘Why do you say GOLA?’”
“Grind or Dwell Common,” Steward responded.
From that time on, he was locked in.
“I went house later that day, and I considered it the entire time,” displays Fears. “You’ll be able to both grind and get the life that you really want, or you may simply proceed to dream about it and speak about it, however not put any of the work in.”
Ever since that day, the newly-turned teenager has labored in the direction of dwelling out his goals. He credit the phrase with powering him additional, resulting in his eventual path as a prime choice within the NBA Draft and a hopeful future within the Affiliation forward.
“I’ve it tattooed on my leg, proper beneath my knee cap,” he added.
As he continues to construct with Adidas to start his NBA profession, he’s hoping to showcase his story via advertising, and spotlight how that dedication and dedication can encourage others to grind in the direction of their very own goals.
“I’ve simply carried that with me each step of the best way,” mentioned Fears. “And all through the whole lot that I did.”
