This ain’t your dad’s New Balance.
New Balance has signed Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey to a basketball shoe deal, according to a Jan. 11 announcement from the sneaker brand. The move adds to the cranking up of “swag” that the company has been working on for years now, including a kit partnership with Liverpool FC and an endorsement deal with rapper Jack Harlow.
With Maxey, the deal highlights his rising star in the NBA. In his third season in the league, Maxey has averaged a scoring rate of 21.2 points per game and doing so on shooting splits of 45%/40%/76%. Also featured on his stat line are averages of four assists per game and three rebounds per game, according to ESPN.
NEWBIE GANG! https://t.co/U2G2Lk5lmx
— Tyrese Maxey (@TyreseMaxey) January 11, 2023
This is certainly not your father’s New Balance.
Once upon a time, New Balance had a reputation as a “dad shoe” company, and let’s be honest, the reputation was accurate. Growing up, I remember it was only literal dads in their 40s and 50s wearing New Balance. Hell, my dad is guilty of it as well. (Love you, dad.)
But now, that appears to be changing. (RELATED: ‘I Have Fantastic Milkers’: Paige Spiranac Goes After Conservative Commentator Nick Adams)
I’ve already mentioned New Balance’s deal with Liverpool FC and Jack Harlow, but they’ve made a ton more progress than that toward being a “cool” brand, signing other big names like Kawhi Leonard, Zach LaVine, LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul, Raheem Sterling and Jamal Murray.
And now here they go again with the Tyrese Maxey deal.
Shout out to New Balance, man. I see the swag pumpin’.