Jaylen Brown is no longer a sneaker free agent. He belongs to his own team, creating his own independent brand.
The Boston Celtics star is taking pre-orders for his new signature shoe, the Rover, launched under his new performance brand and sneaker company 741, which will fuse “advanced technology and minimalist design.” The reigning NBA Finals MVP is the latest star player to create his own signature shoe line as part of the ongoing wave of athlete empowerment this extends across fashion, culture, media and business.
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Brown, known for being intellectual and curious, says he turned down more than $50 million from major shoe companies to found 741, where he will have full ownership and creative control. The former University of California player was seen wearing the Rover boots over the summer without explanation until now.
The launch of his first basketball shoe, which will be officially released on October 22, comes after Brown has been shoeless for the past two seasons. His deal with Adidas ended in 2021. He has worn pairs of Kobe (Nike) and Adidas since then, but chose to cover up shoe logos. His new sportswear venture is his most recent pushback against corporate apparel giants; he publicly bashed Nike on social media and criticized the company for using the Kyrie Irving anti-Semitic controversy in 2022.
Brown, a member of the executive committee of the NBA players union, went so far as to suggest that Nike played a role in his omission from the Team USA Basketball roster. The star-studded group ended up winning gold in Paris with help from their Celtics teammates Derrick White and Jayson Tatum, who recently released their latest signature shoe with Nike’s Jordan Brand (Jordan Tatum 3). Brown said earlier this week that he used the snub as fuel.
Brown said Complex he was inspired by the late Kobe Bryant, who envisioned creating his own independent shoe company before his death in 2020. The Atlanta native joins other NBA players who have created their own shoe brands including Stephon Marbury and Shaquille O’Neal. Irving and Milwaukee Bucks forward Taurean Prince are among others who have partnered with existing shoe companies to launch their own signature brands.
It is unclear whether Brown’s new Rover shoes and other products will be manufactured in China, which has spawned brands that have entered American basketball over the past decade. Li-Ning, for example, has partnered with a string of current and former NBA stars including Dwayne Wade, Baron Davis and Jimmy Butler.
Brown had a busy summer after helping lift the Celtics to their first title since 2008. He launched the Boston XChangewhich aims to address the racial wealth gap and empower underrepresented entrepreneurs. He also stepped into the recording studio with hip hop artist Ferg and dropped a song called “Just Do It”‘ which is the trademark slogan for Nike.
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