Anthony Edwards Uses Adidas Deal To Help Propel Off-Court Success

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards is one of the highest-earning athletes under the age of 25. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)

Star Tribune via Getty Images

Anthony Edwards debuted in the NBA in the final days of 2020. Nearly three years later the Minnesota Timberwolves star revealed his first signature sneaker with Adidas and is now basking in the limelight of the brand’s most successful current signature basketball shoe, part of what helped him get named by Forbes as one of the Highest-Paid Athletes 25 and Under.

The 24-year-old guard has played his entire NBA career with Timberwolves. A four-time NBA All-Star (he was the All-Star Game MVP in 2026) and Olympic gold medalist, Edwards’ on-court earnings of $46 million is plenty impressive. But the American basketball star rakes in another estimated $23 million off-court thanks to a mix of deals, including a docuseries, Serious Business, released in 2026 on Amazon Prime Video, and sponsorships with Prada, Sprite, and Adidas.

The Adidas partnership has helped grow Edwards’ stature in both the sneaker game and the business world. His first shoe, the Anthony Edwards 1, released in November 2023 and enjoyed success right through the release two years later in fall 2025 of his second model, the Anthony Edwards 2.

As the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Georgia, Edwards signed with the German footwear giant in December 2020, coinciding with his NBA debut. His first contract with Adidas, which included the debut signature model, was enough of a success that Edwards signed a multi-year extension in summer 2024, coinciding with the release of the Anthony Edwards 1 Low, a growth of his signature franchise.

Now, nearly two years into the extension, the AE franchise is the top-selling signature basketball shoe from Adidas, according to data from StockX that showed in 2025 the AE 1 was the fifth best-selling signature basketball shoe on the market and the top choice from Adidas.

Adidas released the AE 2 in October 2025, meant to build on the popularity of the first with a design focused around explosive speed.

“Just like I challenge myself every game, this shoe is built to help players outdo themselves every time they stop on the court,” Edwards said in a statement at the time of the release. “I was part of every step of the process, form ideas to sketches, and it feels incredible to see it come to life.”

The AE 2 takes plenty of cues from the first model and now features a propulsion plate for energy return, articulated fangs for secure dynamic movement and the combination of Adidas Lightboost and Lightstrike cushioning to mesh comfort and responsiveness underfoot.

“Adidas basketball has a simple vision, be the next generation brand of basketball,” says Max Staiger, Adidas’ general manager of basketball. “No one represents that vision better for both the brand and the game than Ant himself. His unapologetic confidence, charisma and success both on and off the court are all embodied in his latest signature offering and continue to make him the face of the next generation.”

Adidas unveiled the AE 2 following Edwards’s first-ever China tour, where he connected with fans across Shanghai, Chengdu and Beijing. The trip helped Adidas build the Edwards brand internationally as they work to turn him from a rising start to a global name in basketball.

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In a show of the AE 1’s popularity, Adidas released an Anthony Edwards 1 football cleat in May 2026. Jacksonville Jaguars star Travis Hunter made his NFL debut in the cleat in the fall, giving the AE a crossover appeal in both the NBA and NFL.

Edwards was No. 2 on the Forbes Highest-Paid Athletes 25 and Under list. The top-six athletes included two soccer players, two tennis players and two NBA players.

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