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12. Patrick Ewing
photo via Celtic-NationBrands want eyeballs on their endorsers’ feet and that ad space doesn’t get much bigger than being the big man in the Big Apple. For 15 seasons, Patrick Ewing was exactly that. As a center for the New York Knicks, the 7-footer laced up everything from adidas to Nike over the course of his career. His early days with The Three Stripes would be associated with bulky high tops like the adidas Attitude and adidas Conductor. These models sported the colors of the city’s celebrated hoop squad, seeing casual crossover on the streets over the course of the ’80s and years later in retro life.
While #33 was a superstar with adidas, he proved a boss in his next deal. Shelving the stripes, Pat teamed up with Next Sports to launch Ewing Athletics. The big man took the concept of a signature shoe to new heights by birthing his own brand, releasing and wearing the shoes of his namesake from 1991 to 1996. As originals, the Ewings would be sold in Eastbay all while appearing as a very forward-thinking branding move by Pat. As retros, the shoes have proven popular on the lifestyle market, gaining major traffic in off-court wear.
Of all the hardwood legends, Patrick Ewing may be the only player that’s been relevant from a footwear standpoint before, during and after his pro career. From his Nike Terminator touting days at Georgetown to the retro resurgence of Ewing Athletics, Patrick’s proven to be a fixture in the KOC culture.
-Ian Stonebrook
