Earlier this morning, Adidas officially announced their new long-term contract extension with Kanye West which will see his Yeezy line transcend the lifestyle category and breach the world of sports performance products.
In the near future, we'll be seeing Adidas Yeezys on the basketball court, football field, baseball diamond, soccer pitch etc. Adidas athletes like the Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant and the Houston Texans' DeAndre Hopkins will surely be targeted as potential candidates to rock some new Yeezy cleats but it's on the hardwood where we anticipate seeing the biggest Yeezy influence.
Of course, guys like Nate Robinson, PJ Tucker and Nick Young have already laced up Nike Air Yeezys and Adidas Yeezy Boosts on the court, but now that Kanye West will be able to produce sneakers specifically designed for basketball players, we'll be seeing Yeezys a lot more often.
This got us to thinking about which of Adidas' NBA athletes are the most likely applicants to debut the new Yeezy basketball sneakers, some for completely different reasons than others.
We've narrowed the search down to five, but if you've got another NBA player who you think would be a fitting candidate to lace up the Yeezys in the future, let us know in the comments.
Joel Embiid
The Sixers' 7'1 center has yet to play a game in the NBA, despite being drafted in 2014, but he's still signed with Adidas and would be the perfect big man to debut Kanye's Adidas Yeezy basketball sneakers.
If you follow Embiid on social media, you already know that he's one of the more entertaining and charismatic young guys in the league, and that's exactly the type of guy you want if you're launching a new performance sneaker.
Embiid would jump at the opportunity to lace up some Yeezys on the court, especially if it got him closer to appearing in the next "Famous" video alongside Rihanna.
Of course, he'd have to cut this shit out if he wants anything from Kanye West in the future.
Hey I want you to come slide in my DMs @KimKardashian
Oh I didn't know you were married sorry @KimKardashian just saw it from the fan's tweet... have a nice day
Nick Young
Nick Young left Nike for Adidas last year and shortly after the ink dried on his new endorsement deal he was rocking the Adidas Yeezy Boost 750 during a game against the Rockets. He later credited the sneakers with getting him his first ever assist to Kobe Bryant.
Then, after hearing his name mentioned in Kanye West's "Facts," a song in which 'Ye repeatedly disses Nike and Jordan Brand, Swaggy P was inspired to lace up the super high-top Yeezys again in a game against the Sixers- even if it was only for one half.
Having already worn the lifestyle Yeezy Boosts on multiple occasions, Nick Young is basically a lock to be among the first NBA players to wear Kanye's Yeezy basketball sneakers.
Damian Lillard
Sure, Damian Lillard already has his own signature sneaker with Adidas but given his affinity for hip hop and his skills on the mic, he'd be a perfect fit to be one of the first NBA players to debut some Yeezy basketball kicks.
Let's not forget, Kanye showed his support for Lillard earlier this year by rocking the D Lillard 2 out in public.
This could even be a collaborative effort between Dame Dolla and Kanye West, allowing the duo to display some of their bars on the insole of the sneaker, or inscribed on the upper, or stamped on the sole.
In addition to Lillard being a part-time MC, he's also located in Portland which is where the Adidas headquarters that will be designing all of the Yeezy performance sneakers is located.
👀 @kanyewest in the #DLillard2. #teamadidas pic.twitter.com/4UWR0NVmjT
Andrew Wiggins
The Minnesota Timberwolves' young shooting guard is one of the biggest stars on Adidas Basketball's roster. The 2015 Rookie Of The Year figures to have his very own signature sneaker in the near future, but until that time comes we could see him outfitted in Yeezy gear.
For one, if Adidas wants the Yeezy basketball sneakers to be taken seriously they'll need one of the game's rising stars to be in support of the product. Kanye's influence is incredibly strong, but Adidas is going to want guys of Wiggins' caliber showcasing the shoes on the court.
Secondly, have you seen the shoes that Adidas is making Wiggins wear next season? Unless the Yeezy basketball sneakers are actually roller blades, they can't be worse looking than the Adidas Crazy Explosive.
Tim Duncan
JUST KIDDING, TIMMY! No Yeezys for you.
Iman Shumpert
Iman Shumpert has one of the more "unique" styles of any NBA player and is constantly pushing the envelope so we think he's destined to lace up the Yeezy basketball sneakers in the near future.
I mean, tell me this doesn't look like a guy who would be stepping onto the court, or blacktop, in a pair of Adidas Yeezy basketball sneakers...
Much like Damian Lillard, Shump has been known to hop in the booth during his downtime as well, so it wouldn't be a surprise at all if he chose to support one of the biggest artists by rocking Kanye's Adidas sneakers during a game.