Nike's Monopoly On Basketball Sneakers

That check mark aka Nike is a sneaker giant that seems to get bigger and bigger with each passing year. With a roster full of the NBA's biggest names its hard not to be the biggest brand in basketball today. Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Stephen Curry all are apart of Nike's basketball brand which means a lot because those guys I just mentioned are a bunch of peoples favorite players. Nike has a monopoly in the Basketball sneaker market with a 58% share of the Jordan brand and 91% of sales in the basketball sneaker market.

I want you to think about everywhere you go in your own personal daily lives now sit back and think about how many times a day you see someone on the street with Nike or Jordan basketball shoes on. Its a lot right? Well a lot goes into that and it starts with the roster of players they have. Nike along with the Jordan brand has sneaker contracts to pretty much everybody in basketball Carmelo, Lebron, Kobe, Chris Paul you name it they got it. Now the roster they own looks like an all-star game program and the fact that Nike owns half of Jordan makes it incredibly hard for anybody to compete with them in the market. They make great sneakers (for the most part), great players endorse their product so whats not to love. Jordan brand can drop the same sneaker 4 times and jack up the price 40$ and people will still buy them. Like I said I love a lot of their sneakers but I’m a person who loves variety and people need to realize that the power is in the consumers hands.

This past season the Jordan 28's came out and many Jordan sneaker heads began to say things like “Jordan's are falling off” or “Jordan hasn't made a good basketball sneaker since he left the league” but those same people will go out and buy 300$ and camp out for them. Personally the sneaker game like the competitiveness I see players in the NBA lack these days has fallen off. Everybody wants to join someone rather than be apart of something they themselves can build while blazing their own trail. Once people realize that the product of Jordan brand will not improve until they stop buying the same retro sneakers that have been re released on multiple occasions then nothing will change.

From a marketing standpoint Nike has always been ahead of its time from the “Bo Knows” campaign to the “We Are All Witness” campaign for Lebron. This year is no different they have so many things they can do from a marketing stand point such as Lebron's continued greatness, Kobe's return,Kyrie Irving's “Uncle Drew” commercials among many other things. I once heard someone say “ Company's like Nike as far as advertising goes don't offer much when it comes to marketing basketball-the game, its all just fluff and a way for them to get you to worship the next great player”. I heard that and it hit home with me Nike is a great brand but they don't sell the game of basketball as much as they are a false reality and for you to bow down to the Basketball's biggest names.

So we have established the Nike has its hands firmly on the sneaker community and the market at large so what can other company’s such as Reebok, Adidas and Under Armour do? I think its a combination of what they are currently doing and haven't done yet. For example Under Armour is up and coming they have a solid roster of nice young players such as Kemba Walker, Brandon Jennings and Deandre Jordan, they need to build upon that solid roster of players and for what they don't have in terms of star players make up for in quality basketball performance shoes. The thing I like about Under Armour from a Marketing standpoint is that they aren't selling you a dream but rather selling you commitment. The “Are You From Here” campaign featuring some of the brands athletes I thought was awesome because it felt authentic as the players spoke about their humble beginnings in the commercial. 

More so then what they do in any kind of commercial is what they do on basketball courts nationwide building relationships with fans through things like the Elite 24 basketball game which features the best high school basketball players in country. They take the guys who endorse the product and send them on tours playing basketball games in the same communities they grew up in while giving back. “We just trying to show our face in communities man, we hood guys”. As the brand continues to build upon its young roster so will 0.4% stronghold in the sneaker market.

Adidas is a lot like Nike as far as resources and marketing goes but they haven't had the on court player success which is why the brand has fell back in terms of percentage in the market they are at only about 5% sales in the market. The recent release of the “Quick Ain't Fair” shoe was a success because the commercial featuring John wall, Jrue Holiday and Damain Lillard and Rapper A$ap Rocky garnered them lots of attention and really left an impression on people. I have a pair of the shoes I use for basketball and its defiantly one of the best basketball sneakers from a performance stand point I have had ever. For Adidas its all about improving the roster to compete with Nike.

Another factor is if Derrick Rose can successfully come back from his injury and re establish himself as the best player in the NBA if that happens and he can lead the Bulls to a championship then the opportunities for increases revenue in a market like Chicago are endless for Adidas. Last season despite playing any games for the Bulls Rose made 25 Million$ for Adidas with no on court presence so imagine how much that will increase if he comes back and has a season like he did in 2011.

Reebok is surviving and thriving right now based strictly on retro releases such as the signature Allen Iverson “Questions” and Shaquille O'Neal's “Shaq Attacks” among others. They have no players on their roster to market because earlier in the year they would no longer be focusing their efforts on basketball performance sneakers and focus on retros. The last person who had a Reebok performance basketball shoe was John Wall and his sales only collected 5 Million$ which is equivalent to Dwight Howard. The brand has such a tremendous history that it can survive strictly off of retro releases but don't expect them to compete with Nike.

Another thing you have to factor in is Lebron James and the Success of his Lebron 10. Along with his on court success he past it at retailers selling 300 Million $ worth of shoes this past season which led the league. If you are into ratio's that’s 6-1 for the next closet shoe. The sales of this years signature shoe was 50% increase from 2011 and its the most overpriced basketball shoe in the world usually averaging about 270$ per pair. As long as he is winning championships expect Nikes stronghold on the market to strengthen.

So the opposing company’s have a long way to go in terms of competing with Nike/ Jordan Brand but one thing that could seriously help those company’s like Under Armour or Adidas would be landing the next big thing as far as sneakers go in basketball which would be Andrew Wiggins. He is Canadian,there is a serious buzz to his name and people love watching him play . So not only do people love watching him play but and he has crossover appeal to him. Sonny Vaccaro who is in the sneaker industry says that Wiggins may have 3 company's bidding on him to endorse product as well as commanding Lebron James money. Landing a guy like him could elevate under Armour and Adidas.

Lots of things in Nikes favor but all giants must fall at some point and it may be awhile before Nike ever does but lets remember that Nike didn't always have a stronghold on the basketball sneaker market. Lets also remind ourselves of great and innovative sneakers were when there was no monopoly.

Farewell Tracy Mcgrady

After many highlights and failures 7 time all-star Tracy Mcgrady has announced his retirement from the game of basketball. Mcgrady’s career for as great as it was remains equally disappointing. A lot of “What Ifs” are going to be asked when speaking about his legacy in basketball but Tracy Mcgrady possessed great talent and was arguably the best player in the league at one point. I was going to write a long post just like the Allen Iverson one earlier in the week but I don’t think that’s needed here, just enjoy the video up top. The video up top illustrates his career pretty well.

• 18,381 Points
• 2-time scoring champion
• 7 time All-Star
• 2000-2001 Most Improved Player

Congratulations to Tracy Mcgrady on a fantastic career!

A Reflection On The Career Of Allen Iverson

The last few days have been rough for me as a basketball fan. Its always a hard day when the guy you grew up wanting to be just like on a basketball court retires but that day has finally came for me. Sources are reporting that the 11 time all-star and 4 time scoring champion Allen Iverson will finally retire from the game of basketball after all of these years. Some people love him and some people hate him but AI is one of the greatest point guards to ever step on the hardwood and the proof is in the pudding on and off the court.

A New Era

Allen Iverson was different but he brought in a whole new culture to basketball as the NBA was preparing for the Post-Jordan era. The Doo-rags, Tattoos and fitted caps where all authentic to who Allen was as a person he was himself and never changed that throughout the course of his entire career. This sometimes benefited him and hurt him but he was always entreating  in the process. The Hip-Hop era in the NBA was really brought to the forefront when Allen Iverson was a marquee player in the league. His influence was and is still huge to this day.

As the NBA was preparing for the post-MJ era it was looking for a new face of the league and although it had Kobe Bryant the real hero or the guy who many people that come from a background of low income and poverty could relate to was Allen Iverson. He brought the hood to the hardwood and was proud of who he was that's why in that era of  hip-hop culture Allen Iverson Sixers jerseys were popular because of who he was as a person and the kind of player he was on the court. Iverson's jersey along with his Reebok "The Questions" Sneaker were wildly successful and still are to this day. Recently Reebok has re released the popular shoe and it has seen a great response from the sneaker world and shoe lovers worldwide. Iverson is To Reebok what Jordan is to the Air Jordan brand.

Little Big Man

Allen Iverson is listed generously at 6 feet tall and 165 pounds and is the greatest undersized guard of all-time along with Isiah Thomas. I once heard someone say the following about AI "Take Michael Jordan's greatest moves and speed them up and you have Allen Iverson". Allen Iverson played the game fearlessly and it demands respect. Taking on guys who are a foot taller and 100 pounds heavier then him Iverson played the game his way and that was with no fear and if need be at the rim. This attitude allowed him to score 24,369 points with a 26.7 scoring average on his career. Iverson made big baskets and made a living putting the Sixers on his back.

We all know Iverson is one of the greatest performers ever but very few people know that he is 2nd all-time in playoff scoring average in the history of the NBA only behind Michael Jordan averaging 29.7 points per game. He put Philly on his back in the most important games.Iverson played with heart and would make bigger guys look like they shouldn't be on the same floor. Like take for example in a playoff series against the Toronto Raptors and the much bigger more athletic Vince Carter in 2001. Iverson had 2 games of 50+ points with his 54 points in game 2 and 52 points in game 5. Allen was little no doubt about that but he was also something else- The MVP of the league.

The Problems

A.I's career comes with a lot of glory but a lot of problems as well, many of them self-inflicted. Allen was never a "pure point guard" but many basketball purists knocked him for that over the years calling him selfish and not a team player. There was the infamous "Practice" press conference in which he looked like a complete buffoon and totally selfish. Allen had his fans but equally had his detractors.

Then there was his relationship with head coach Larry Brown. For many years they couldn't see eye to eye because Allen hated practice. When they finally found some common ground they helped turn the Sixers into a playoff team and eventually reached the finals in 2001 with an eventual loss to the Shaq & Kobe Lakers. Some say had Allen not been so hard headed that his career would have looked better but Allen was Allen and he wasn't changing for nobody.

The Decline

Allen Iverson's scoring average was 26.7 points per game in the regular season. The end of his career kept that number from being higher with his stops in Denver, Detroit and Memphis. Seeing Allen anywhere but Philly was weird and all the seasons he had averaging less then 20 points hurt his average but he just didn't fit in on any of those teams.

It was sad to see how no NBA franchise in the latter part of Iverson's career wanted to give him a shot. Some of that is due in part to AI's ego not wanting to come off the bench and declined numerous offers in China and D-League where he could have proven himself to NBA GM's. No matter how you spin it the end of his career is just sad, you never want to see a guy of his stature go out that way.

The Legacy

Allen Iverson's career left much to be desired in terms of his championship success. He never captured an NBA title and its a down right travesty but nobody will ever say that he didn't deserve it. Iverson is a 1st ballot hall of famer whether you like him or not its not even a question. The only Point guard that is better then him at his size is maybe Isiah Thomas but besides that A.I is the best undersized point guard to ever play the game of basketball.

Great Rookie Cards (Part 2)

#29 1974 Topps George Gervin

George “The Iceman” Gervin one of the best nicknames for one of the best scorers in NBA history. Gervin throughout his career won 4 scoring titles and scored over 26,000 points. I'm not sure when the term “Silky Smooth” was used to describe a basketball players game but if I took a guess I'd say it started with Gervin.

#28 1996 Skybox Z-force Kobe Bryant

One of the greatest players in the history of the NBA kicked of his career in LA during the 1996-97 season. 17 seasons later Bryant has become one of the most accomplished players ever winning 5 championships, 4 scoring titles and 15 all-star teams. Kobe to this day is still a joy to watch, hope he has a successful recovery from his ACL this coming season.

#27 1987 Donruss Bo Jackson

Bo Jackson was a dominant 2 sport athlete doing so in both the NFL and MLB. In this edition of Donruss 87 he is pictured in those sweet baby blue Royal uniforms ready to take the baseball world by storm. Bo Jackson was a walking video game.

#26 1989 Score Troy Aikman

The Dallas Cowboys franchise hasn't been “Americas Team” since the Aikman days and for good reason. Aikman was a 6 time pro bowler as well as a 3 time super bowl champion. He was just a winner and will forever be remembered by Cowboy fans everywhere.

#25 1963 Topps Deacon Jones

Deacon Jones was a game changer as far as rushing the quarterback goes. He is sited as the person who coined the term “sack” as in when you hit the quarterback. Deacon was an 8 time pro bowler who accumulated 194.5 sacks in his illustrious career. Redskins hall of fame coach George Allen called Deacon Jones “The greatest defensive end of the modern era”.

#24 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn

Whenever you speak about the sweetest swings in major league history you got to start with “Mr.Padre” Tony Gwynn. Gwynn a 15 time all-star and 8 time batting champion was probably the best left handed contact hitter ever. Over the course of his career he had 338 batting average while never hitting lower then 309. It really pains me that he never won a world series.

#23 1988 O-Pee-Cee Brett Hull

Brett Hull was one hell of a player during his career. 1,391 Points is what Hull collected and he played at a high level no matter where he went whether it was Detroit, Dallas or St. Louis Hull performed at a high level. None higher then when he put a gaudy 86 goals during the 1990-91 season.

#22 1996 Upper Deck Allen Iverson

One of my all-time favorite players in NBA history comes in the form in none other then Allen Iverson. AI changed the NBA just by being himself with his tattoos and corn rolls whether that it was for better or for worse is just a matter of opinion. Iverson an 11 time all-star and MVP in 2000-2001 is one of the most exciting players to ever play the game. There will never be another AI.

#21 1986 Topps Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds is a living walking asterisk. He has hit the most home runs in baseball history but it will never get its proper respect because he cheated the game. Although he refused to sign my baseball when I was a kid I still love and respect Barry Bonds as a baseball player.

#20 1984 Star Hakeem Olajuwon

He wasn't always “Hakeem” but he came into the league as “Akeem” Olajuwon. Regardless of the first name Olajuwon remains one of the greatest centers ever. His footwork is undoubtedly the best we have ever seen. The dream shake is still one of the most effective moves I'm surprised more players don't use it.

Hope you enjoyed the 2^nd part of my 4 part series on great rookie cards in sports history. Stay tuned for part 3 coming up in the next few days. 

Throwback Thursday:Old Slam Magazines

Today for throwback Thursday just wanted to share some things I have been reading over the last few days. My friend Paul recently let me borrow some of his old Slam magazines. The 2 featured in this picture are the November 2001 cover featuring afro Kobe Bryant with the #8 jersey. The second one is the April 2003 edition featuring prime Allen Iverson on the cover. Great reads and just cool to remember what hoop culture was like back then.

The Best Mitchell & Ness NBA Caricature Shirts

Since 1904 Philadelphia based company Mitchell&Ness has been committed to making top of the line vintage sports clothing. The apparel variety ranges from Jerseys to Hats to even scarf's of your favorite teams. Some people like myself can't afford a 300$ vintage jersey of our favorite players so we look for a different alternative that satisfies our hunger to properly represent our favorite teams. I'm obviously a huge NBA fan so a throwback Larry Johnson Jersey is out of the question due to my current economic status but that's where the ever popular caricature t-shirts come in. At only 30$ plus tax caricature shirts pay tribute to some of the NBA's greatest players of yesteryear by cartoonizing every part of them along with your favorite teams logo. So if your NBA fan consider this countdown of caricature shirts your guide for smart purchases of fan apparel...lets get started.

  Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)

Larry Bird won 3 championships in his time with the Boston Celtics and is one of the best players the game has ever seen. If you're a Celtics fan who was a Bird fan and don't have the most money in the world then this shirt is perfect for you.  Mitchell & Ness shirts are comfortable and crafted at a high level. This shirt like many does a great job of painting the picture of what "Larry Legend" looked like when he had more hair and his mustache was thicker.

Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks)

Patrick Ewing never won any championships but was still a great player for the Knicks in his tenure. The Knicks in the 90's boasted one of the most physical front lines ever with guys like Anthony Mason, Charles Oakley and Ewing himself.  This is a great shirt surely you will see a few around Madison Square Garden among Knicks diehards.

Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)

In the 80's the "Showtime" Lakers ran by Magic Johnson changed basketball. Magic was a great passer it almost seemed like he tried to out do his previous years highlight tape every time he stepped onto the floor in the Forum. Great shirt and the fact that this one has no sleeves makes it very suitable for people who live in LA.

Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets)

Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon is hands down the greatest player in Houston Rockets franchise history. Hakeem on the shirt looks just like him these days. I feel like for any Rockets fan that lived that era of basketball that this is a must have shirt. Hakeem is Houston Houston and just the image of this shirt should conjure visuals of his patented "Dream Shake" move or the back to back championships Houston Captured in the 90's

Shawn Kemp (Seattle Supersonics)

Although Seattle no longer has an NBA team one glimpse  at this shirt of Shawn Kemp should bring smiles and marries of all of the rim rocking dunks he threw down in the green and yellow .This shirt does a great job with details capturing Kemp in his essence all the way down to his Reebok Kamikazes. Kemp along with Gary Payton certainly represented a great time for the city of Seattle in its basketball history. Hopefully they bring back a team.

Dennis Rodman (Chicago Bulls)

In the 90's the Bulls were one of the most iconic teams and Dennis Rodman was one of basketballs most iconic personalities. Many people love the Bulls worldwide so this shirt should appeal to most people who followed the Bulls in the great era of winning. Dennis Rodman was an exceptional re bounder.

Shaquille O'Neal (Orlando Magic)

The Magic in the 90's were one of the most exciting teams with combination of Penny Hardaway and Shaq. In the time he spent in a Magic Jersey Shaq literally brought down the rim and practically broke it in half. Very few things were more entertaining to watch in the NBA than Shaq in the 90's.   

Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers)

What makes a great caricature shirt in my opinion is when the person or in this case NBA player's personality or signature style can be depicted through a visual. This shirt does that perfectly Allen Iverson has the headband on, you see the corn rose rolled tight around his head and obviously his signature "let me hear you" hand above the ear move that got the fans in Philly going on many occasions is being displayed on this shirt. Iverson was excited and he did a lot for the Sixers, just wish he would have brought home a championship.

Julius Erving (Philadelphia 76ers)

Dr.J-Julius Erving what more can you say this guy did so much for basketball and is such a big part of the Sixers history and tradition. The afro, the hang time, the dunks he was so ahead of his time. My dad tells me stories about watching the Erving on television as he was growing up so through the years I have grown to respect Julius. I actually own this shirt and its one of my favorite basketball shirts.

Larry Johnson (Charlotte Hornets)

"Grandmama" was a tremendous basketball player, he along with Alonzo Mourning and Muggsy Bouges represents a golden era in Charlotte basketball. The coolest thing outside of the Hornets teal on this shirt is the always recognizable gold tooth LJ had, its featured on the shirt. People loved those Hornets teams and Mitchell and Ness does a great job of making great nostalgic clothing of the Charlotte Hornets. Speaking as a Hornets fan I have this shirt and it is a must have. Looking forward to the Hornets return next year in Charlotte.

All in all these are all great shirts for NBA fans and if you are into sneakers they go really well with many different  Nikes, Reeboks, Jordans and Adidas in terms of matching. So hope you enjoyed the post and use it as a reference if your shopping for quality fan apparel.

Throwback Thursday: NBA Rappers

Today July 4^th happens to be the release date for the much anticipated “Magna Carta holy grail” album from rapper/mogul Jay-Z. He has 13 career#1 albums and love him or hate him he is a legend in the world of hip-hop. They say all rappers want to be basketball players and all basketball players want to be rappers well thats actually happened with guys like Ron Artest, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Chris Webber all trying their hand at rapping. NBA players who rap will be the subject of today’s Throwback Thursday.

Some NBA players have a skill for rhyming and others should be grateful they can play ball at a high level. The most notable NBA MC is former Lakers big man Shaquille O'neal who has one platinum and one gold album. He has done songs with hip hop legends Ice Cube, Wu-Tang Clan and also Kobe Bryant. He is no legend but Shaq certainly has had his moments like in the song off his platinum album “Shaq Diesel” in a song titled “I'm Outstanding”. O'neal has done literally everything you could do for a basketball player business wise but this seemed like he genuinely loved rapping. Check the video below to see young Shaq doing his thing.

Ron Artest Like Shaq represents some of the good for NBA Rappers but to a lesser extent. He never had any platinum albums or gold albums or any critically acclaimed albums but he did have some success with his song “Champion” that he released after the Lakers captured the title in 2010. The song made its way on to NBA 2K11 and became the most popular song in the game instantly earning millions of views on Youtube.

Guys like Kevin Durant just do it for fun. He doesn’t have any albums but you can tell that his flow mirrors his playing style on the court which is silky smooth. Although he won't impress you lyrically he isn't as bad as say Kobe Bryant in his song with Tyra Banks. In his song “Worried about Tomorrow” he shows you that he is a legit rapper, Ive even heard people say “KD has bars”.

One guy who I personally liked out of the NBA Rappers was Sacramento Kings great Chris Webber who was featured on west coach legend Kurupt's song “Gangsta Gangsta” its not that bad and he looks and sounds like he knows what he is doing. Had Webber put his time into rhyming like he did as a baller who know he would have turned out.

Allen Iverson might be the only guy on this list who looks like both a rapper and a basketball player at the same time but he had his moments on tracks like “40 bars”. Iverson's music can pretty much be summed on how he did things on and off the court which was his way.

Kobe Braynt has a pretty funny rap career he is most famous for his self titled song “K.O.B.E” featuring Tyra Banks which pretty much is the biggest joke when it comes to NBA rappers. What most people don't realize though is that he is actually a dope rapper on skill alone he might be the best rapper on the list. He a did song with Shaq titled “3x dope” he goes raps under the moniker “K-raw”. In the song he had the 1^st verse and to be quite honest it didn't even sound like Kobe Bryant he sounded like an underground rapper that knew what he was doing. So in terms of Kobe Bryant's rap career, he is trolling all of you fools. Check the videos below to see what I’m speaking about.

The Bad

The Good

So NBA players are rappers too but some of them need to stick to their day job because they aren't going to touch Jay-Z.......Unless Kobe comes out of retirement.