Jaylen Brown made big news at Celtics Media Day on Tuesday. And no, I’m not talking about any comments about his Olympic snub or the upcoming title defense for the Celtics in pursuit of Banner 19.
I’m talking about the launch of his own independent sneaker brand, 741 Performance.
Brown has been a sneaker free agent since his endorsement deal with Adidas expired in 2021. Last season, Brown often was seen wearing Nike models with the Swooshes removed. In point of fact, Brown has been mired in something of a feud with the sportswear giant, taking shots at their ethics and even going so far as to suggest that Nike was behind Brown not being selected to replace Kawhi Leonard on the U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Paris.
On its Instagram page, 741 Performance laid out what sneakerheads and hoopers should expect from the brand moving forward, including an emphasis on innovation and minimalist design.
Of course, there had been signs that this move was coming. Earlier this month, Brown gave away a pair of his new 741 Performance signature kicks while visiting the famed Rucker Park in New York.
Brown now becomes the biggest name in his prime to eschew millions in endorsement dollars to launch his own sneaker brand (this, of course, excludes discount brands from Shaq and Stephon Marbury back in the 2000s). Rumors persist that prior to his death Kobe Bryant had been considering breaking away from Nike and starting his own brand, but that was also long after he retired from the NBA. And of course, there were some who thought that perhaps Kyrie Irving would create his own brand last year after separating from Nike amid the fallout from his controversial social media post on an antisemitic film. Irving ultimately signed with Anta, where he has significant influence and his product has seen significant interest. Of course, Brown has remained close to Irving since the pair played together in Boston, so perhaps Irving helped influence the NBA Finals MVP to take the leap and form his own brand.
The sneaker space is crowded, with Nike and Jordan Brand dominant in the basketball space for the last several years and Adidas on the upswing on the strength of Anthony Edwards’ successful debut sneaker, the AE 1. However, if there were ever a moment to challenge Nike’s hegemony it’s now. Nike just announced a new CEO, Elliott Hill, amid criticisms it has lost its way and is suffering from an innovation problem. We’ve also seen smaller brands like Asics and New Balance really begin to make inroads as the resale market for Air Jordan and Nike retros has significantly cooled since pandemic highs.
As for the sneaker itself, dubbed the Rover, the upper features what 741 Performance calls an engineered knit made of “abrasion resistant yarns for high stretch and spring back.” The midsole is made from EVA, and the outsole is made from a proprietary rubber. The shoe also features internal and external counters which help hold the foot and heel in place, with the brand noting that the internal counter provides as much stability as a hiking boot and distributes underfoot pressure to optimize effectiveness of midsole.
The Rover is available for pre-order now at a cost of $200 in men’s sizing with estimated shipping listed as late November. A big kids model is also available for pre-order for a cost of $70.
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