Noah Lyles criticises Adidas for prioritising NBA star Anthony Edwards over his own achievements

Noah Lyles expressed frustration with Adidas for prioritising NBA star Anthony Edwards' shoe release.

Track star Noah Lyles has voiced his discontent with Adidas, criticising the brand for prioritising NBA player Anthony Edwards' shoe release while overlooking his own accomplishments. Lyles, who recently secured a gold medal in the 100-metre dash and a bronze in the 200-metre event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, expressed his dissatisfaction during a feature interview with Sean Gregory of TIME.

Lyles revealed that he was invited to a shoe-release event for Edwards while he was in the midst of negotiating a contract extension with Adidas. The sprinter questioned the brand's decision, saying, "You want to invite me to [an event for] a man who has not even been to an NBA Finals? In a sport that you don't even care about? And you're giving him a shoe?"

Although Lyles acknowledged Edwards' talent, he felt that Adidas failed to recognize his own potential and achievements in the same way. He emphasised the disparity in endorsement opportunities between track athletes like himself and professional basketball players, pointing out that Edwards had not yet reached the NBA Finals, while Lyles had achieved Olympic success.

Lyles also expressed his desire for a personalised sneaker deal, noting that there is greater financial potential in the sneaker market compared to spikes. "I want my own shoe," Lyles stated in an interview, adding, "Ain’t no money in spikes."

Lyles recently signed a groundbreaking contract extension with Adidas, which is rumoured to be the most lucrative in track and field since Usain Bolt's deal with Puma. The possibility of a signature Noah Lyles sneaker could represent a significant moment for the brand moving forward.