Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett has signed a multi-million dollar endorsement contract with Chinese sportswear brand Anta. Garnett is currently signed with Adidas, but that contract allows for an opt-out at the end of the current NBA season next month.
Anta is an emerging Chinese sportswear company, which is looking to make a run at the US market in the coming decade.
The deal, which has not been officially announced but has been confirmed by multiple sources, is reported to be worth a sum large enough for Garnett to leave Adidas, where he signed a “lifetime endorsement contract” in 2003. He was thought to be earning US$2 million a year at Adidas, and is thought to have added another seven-figure annual sum to that amount as part of his contract with Anta.
Then, former Adidas basketball public relations manager Travis Gonzolez said, “We’re actually looking for Kevin to wear our shoes not only during his playing career but driving our basketball business long after his career on the court.”
The deal with Anta is Garnett’s fourth with a sportswear company. After high school, Garnett signed with Nike and left after five years for AND1, where he stayed for two years before signing with Adidas.
