The Toronto Raptors face a desperate sneaker shortage
A strange story out of Toronto, where it seems that Raptor waterbugs Leandro Barbosa(notes) and Sonny Weems(notes) are having a devil of a time following through on one of an NBA player's most important professional commitments. That's right, they're finding it tough to follow through on a stated desire to endorse and wear adidas-brand sneakers.
(Do they call them "trainers" up there? I'll have to ask at least one of my two former BDL co-workers.)
According to Raptors equipment manager Kevin DiPietro, adidas "is having a little bit of a crisis right now," which is odd, and to hear DiPietro tell it this shortage is "for the first time ever." And as a result, Barbosa is having to wear adidas high tops in several colors which in no way mesh with Toronto's red, white and black color scheme, and Weems is having to wear -- shock horror -- Nikes.
[Rewind: Detroit trainer banishes Nike sneakers]
I'll let The Star's Dave Feschuk take it from here:
Barbosa and Weems, both of whom are paid to wear the brand, said they're not sure when to expect the new shipment of shoes in Raptors red, black and white. The company sent both players a box of shoes before training camp began late last month; DiPietro said he started inquiring about getting Barbosa's favoured model on the day the Raptors dealt for him in July.
But neither Barbosa nor Weems felt comfortable in any of the models they were initially sent. Weems, who wears a size 15 and spent last season wearing the Peak brand, said he wants to play this season in the adidas currently worn by Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose(notes). One Raptor speculated that while Weems, a rank-and-file NBAer, waits impatiently, Rose, an ascendant superstar, isn't having any problems scaring up footwear. An email sent to a representative of adidas seeking comment was not returned.
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