Setting the basketball world alight with his explosive play and infectious personality, Anthony Edwards has become a name revered on and off the NBA court. adidas, recognizing the star power of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ phenom, has crafted the Ant-Man’s first signature shoe to capture the essence of his game. Join us as we explore the tale behind the adidas Anthony Edwards shoe line, the faces behind the design, the performance on the court, and the striking colorways that scream ‘Ant-Man’ to the world.
History of Anthony Edwards Shoes
adidas AE 1 With Love
Anthony Edwards’ rise to NBA superstardom seemed woven into the fabric of destiny. From a high school basketball prodigy to the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Edwards’ ascent has been meteoric. One pivotal point on this trajectory was the partnership he forged with adidas to create the AE series, a standout among current NBA signature sneaker collections.
The inception of Anthony Edwards’ shoe line marks the inception of a partnership that not only pays tribute to Edwards’ on-court style but also to his story. Each release captures the nuances that have defined Edwards’ game – the power, speed, and fearless approach that take off in the brand’s designs.
Anthony Edwards’s adidas ad for the AE1
The AE1 debuted in December 2023 with the peach colorway dubbed “With Love”, paying tribute to his mother and grandmother’s love for the color. Since then, new colorways have dropped between adidas and the Ant-Man, setting a benchmark for elevated player aesthetics. Fusing aspects of sneaker culture with performance innovation, the AE1 serves as a strong foundation for what’s to follow.
Basketball Sneakers in Current Rotation
Back in the early 2000s and mid 2010s, sneakerheads were rocking Nike LeBron 9s and adidas Crazy 8s with their favorite pair of skinny trousers. As fashion trends started to cycle closer to vintage looks and dad shoes, basketball sneakers took a backseat. But currently, basketball sneakers are making a comeback. As Nike retros some of their popular basketball designs from their LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant archives, and Puma’s LaMelo Ball continues to sell out, the appetite for basketball sneakers has only grown. Anthony Edwards shoes are one of the silhouettes helping lead the charge.
Recently, rapper and avid sneakerhead, Wale, was seen showing off the AE1 with a casual-forward fit. This is just one of the many examples of how basketball shoes, especially Anthony Edwards’s shoes, are coming back into the mainstream consciousness for streetwear fits.
Who Designed the adidas AE1?
Anthony Edwards wearing the AE1s on court
The creation of a signature shoe is an intimate dance between athlete and designer, one that adidas has honed into an art form. For Ant-Man’s line, adidas paired Edwards with creative designer Patrick Zempolich, who has been working for adidas since an intern in 2017. When meeting with Edwards on what he valued in a shoe, Zempolich said, in an interview with Complex News, “He told us he didn’t want his shoe to look like anything else on the market.”
How do Anthony Edwards shoes perform on the court?
Across adidas’s site, YouTube reviews on the sneakers, and sneaker publications, the adidas AE1s are some of the best-performance sneakers out on the market. Sites like weartesters.com are already asking if it’s the Best Basketball Sneaker of 2024. People have been praising the sneaker for it’s incredible comfort, thanks to the combo of Lightstrike and Boost cushioning technology.
Alongside comfort, wearers are loving the shoe’s unique honeycomb grid upper and vibrant colors, making it an ideal choice for casual looks off the court as well. The AE1’s traction on indoor courts is in a class of its own, providing grip and support when changing direction or making explosive moves. The performance profile of Anthony Edwards shoes shines. Players swear by its responsiveness, grip, and stability, claiming these shoes offer a competitive edge that’s hard to beat.
What are all of AE1 colorways?
One of the most exciting elements of any signature shoe line is the diversity of colors and the stories they can tell. The adidas AE1 range doesn’t hold back, releasing a plethora of bright colors that are hard to miss both on and off the hardwood.
