dov

🇵🇭 Just talking hoops. NBA/Euroleague/PBA

[Donatas Urbonas @Urbodo]

Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis announced he is set to make his 🇱🇹 Lithuanian national team debut this summer.

More on BasketNews
https://t.co/Wc3qgX0yDZ

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@CagaraJacob YESSSS those were the days 🥹

BballGM > NBA 2K

[dov @yeetingmachine]

Tony Parker finally got his superstar. ASVEL might actually be fun to watch next season with them poaching players of the French national team

[BasketNews @BasketNews_com]

the All-EuroLeague guard is in advanced talks with ASVEL, with negotiations now entering the final stages 🔥

More details here: https://t.co/dGcmqsQY2l

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@iamJoweyn Nabawasan ng teams, which led to players of defunct teams joining any of the remaining teams through free agency. As a result, every single team became pretty much loaded or full already.

Kaya puro pass na sila sa 2nd round ng draft lol

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@bgk4evs Yun nga eh. Di mo talaga afford na bigyan kahit kaunting space lang yan para tumira

[dov @yeetingmachine]

RJ Abarrientos i swear sana ganito rin sa Gilas pls!!! I hope this newfound confidence carries over soon

[dov @yeetingmachine]

What a game!! Wish that lob to Oftana in that final play went in though, that pass was on point

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@Jimmy4THREE Considering Mamu’s eagerness to stay with ROS, i think he should be fine with getting something at least close to what Japan is offering him.

I have this gut feeling he’s still on board with the mission of bringing a title to ROS na para bang unfinished business pa sa kanila

[dov @yeetingmachine]

Welp i’ve seen enough. I guess brand bias is still a thing these days.

Kinda sad how most consumers care more about sneaker “aura” than they do about top-notch performance. No one’s forcing y’all to wear Chinese brands, but to write them off already at first glance is crazy 😂

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@jimcontrarian @BallsackSports That’s because NBA players got individual sneakers deals you bozo. Of course they couldn’t just wake up one day and choose to wear Li-Ning sneakers

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@iamJoweyn @StephenCurry30 Hihintay na ba sa Li-Ning Curry 1? 😅

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@iamJoweyn Ahh yeah that tracks. In that case, don’t consider buying the flagship WOW models na since di siya surface-friendly outside of indoor gym courts

Yung mga budget options i believe are more friendly sa rubberized courts based on reviews so do check them out na lang hehe

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@iamJoweyn Needs a little break in din to feel consistently good which isn’t a problem naman haha

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@iamJoweyn Not the flagship WOW sneaker pero i did have the WOW All City 12s for a while back then. Elite traction/lockdown and is very comfy on foot. Also recommended to go 1/2 size up your usual size for a snug and comfy fit btw!

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@MagicGilasFan @whiteyjr1980 @ClutchPoints I watched Kabengele a bit in the Euroleague and he’s actually quite good last season for Dubai. Even had stretches here and there where he looked completely unstoppable

Could confidently say he was a top 5 center in all of europe during the season

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@MagicGilasFan Those new upcoming physical stores in the US should be able to fix that somehow. People will actually get to try them on first without purchasing which is always great to have

[dov @yeetingmachine]

Big reason why i don’t rock Nikes anymore these days lol. Most of my sneaker rotation is now filled with Antas which are just as good and are way cheaper

[Ballsack Sports @BallsackSports]

In 2018, Nike basketball was on fire. If you walked into Footlocker, they had LeBron, KDs, Kobe’s, PGs, and Kyrie’s on the shelves. An elite lineup of signature models, and also had the hyperdunk line. In 2020, Nike unveiled the GT Cut 1, a modern shoe with great traction, court feel, and cushion. The future of Nike basketball was bright.

Around post-COVID, Nike made the genius decision of taking shoes off their shelves (including footlocker) to sell directly to consumers, cutting out the middle man. The problem was this shelve space was taken up by competitors, and consumers began taking their business elsewhere, especially in the running industry.

Nike then fumbled their relationship with Kyrie Irving by limiting his creative output and freedom over his line. They replaced the controversial, brand “unsafe” Kyrie Irving, and the fading Playoff P with the Guns ‘n Buns duo. They gave the 🌽 addict the worst signature line ever unveiled (did anyone ever buy a single pair?). The Ja line has been a massive success however, pairing good performance & less expensive models with fun colorways, continuing that 2010s Nike signature vibe under a very marketable athlete.

Signing Tatum was a great move, but his shoe line has been rather generic and has never really caught much hype. And Luka? I forgot they even signed Luka. He has a signature model, but’s rarely marketed. It’s probably more popular with the pickleball crowd than basketball crowd.

The Kobe protro line was a great move, but was iffy on execution. The performance “upgrades” have been hit and miss. And Chinese competitors are creating better Kobe-like shoes at a cheaper price. And they’re marketing their shoes through IG and TikTok.

Nike threw basketball fans a bone with the LeBron 20, but went away from that successful formula. The GT Cut 2 was a flop. The tariffs have led to rising prices while the quality has regressed.

Fans have voiced what they want, but Nike hasn’t listened. Their competitors have, and they’ve taken market share.

Nike has had Caitlin Clark in their pipeline since 2022. They signed her to a signature shoe deal in spring 2024, but they had no plan or vision for her. When Caitlin Clark was the hottest athlete on the planet in 2024, Nike sat on their hands, and merely tossed her a few Kobe protro colorways. Generational fumble.

Nike has an elite marketing team. They have money. They have designers. But they lack any sense of leadership and creative direction for the brand.

They’re milking the past while competitors are taking over the present. Adidas went all in on Ant and Jeremiah Smith. New Balance snagged Flagg. Nike got Wemby, but has him playing in some sharkskin ass bricks. Not even his own shoe, and he’s in year 3 leading his team to the finals.

Nike got lucky as Steph became a free agent again… but to no one’s surprise, Nike fumbled again.

It might be time to pivot to pickleball, because Nike is getting shoved into a locker by everyone.

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@iamJoweyn The more budget friendly WOWs are still just as good pa rin naman. I hear good things about the WOW 808 Ultras and the Wade All City sneaker lines hehe

[Jordan Rogers @JordanRogers26]

Here’s why Steph signed with Li Ning and not Nike/adidas/NB…

[dov @yeetingmachine]

@keldonGOAT About damn time the brand also starts putting up more stores in the US too thanks to this partnership with Steph.

With this added visibility, a lot more people will finally get the chance to test out and see how value-for-money Li-Ning kicks are 😊

[dov @yeetingmachine]

You people disrespecting Li-Ning have clearly never hooped in Way of Wades before lol

This brand deserves some respect 🙌

[Shams Charania @ShamsCharania]

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has signed a shoe endorsement contract with Chinese company Li-Ning -- a landmark 10-year deal, sources tell ESPN. Li-Ning extends his Curry Brand venture globally and encompasses basketball products, athleisure, the ability for Curry to sign athletes under his brand, and a full golf line.