Atlanta, GA – It's bigger than basketball for Andre Drummond.
As a two-time NBA All-Star and four-time rebounding leader, the Philadelphia 76ers center has garnered numerous awards throughout his career. In 2014, he signed an endorsement deal with Jordan Brand and remained with the company for almost a decade. In all that time, he hasn't had a signature sneaker, which he flaunted when he was younger.
"As a kid, I would make sneakers of things I wanted to see, like be the face of Nike," Drummond said in an exclusive interview with Clutch Points. "Like, at 10 years old, I'm designing Nike solutions on shoes I'm making. Just imagining my idols and people I grew up with, they have their signature shoes. Being a guy that loved Jordan and being a part of the Jordan Brand for many years.
"That was a dream come true for me, too. I'm like, 'One day, I want to be able to do something like that on my scale.'"
14 years later, and that dream has become a reality.
Drummond recently announced his new venture with Stria Sport, founded by Eric Porter, where he will not only have his own signature sneaker, but also the title of "Creative Director" and have equity in the company.
After his deal with Jordan expired, he was looking for another brand to work with in 2022. He was scrolling through social media when he saw athlete and family friend, Xavier Rathan-Mayes, sporting some sneakers that caught his attention.
"I'm like 'D', this [are] Very tough,” Drummond said. "So I reached out, and Eric came right back to me and said, 'Hey, man, we're just starting a new company. We're not really ready to sign a player like you right now, so give us a few years, and if you're still a free agent we'll come back and take a look again."
Drummond did not sign with anyone. He was still a free agent and wore several different sneakers during his time with the Chicago Bulls and 76ers. Then, Porter reached back last June. He not only offered to sign Drummond to Stria Sport, but also gave him ownership, a signature shoe, and equity in the company.
This was no easy task for Drummond.
Drummond said, "I'm doing this not only to get my own signature shoe, but to have equity in the company, to have the creative direction of the company, to be what I want to see. It was a no-brainer." "So I was super excited to do it. We got the paperwork done. It took us a couple of months to get the paperwork done, but we figured out what was best for both sides of the party, and here we are today. Things are in the running."
Andre Drummond is looking to create a legacy
Drummond knows how to run a business. Companies will call you and tell you they will get back to you when the time is right, then you never hear from them again. Eric was different in that regard.
"Just to get [Eric] Reaching out and me not reaching out to him really showed the seriousness of how much he believed in my vision of what I wanted to see. Not for myself, but what I saw for the company.”
Stria Sports was a match made in heaven for Drummond. He's able to work side by side with someone who has actually played the game and knows what it means to have a good basketball shoe on his foot. As for Drummond, he's worn the three biggest brands for most of his career, but it's always been something else he's reaching for.
"Of course, I'm excited about the signature shoe, but for me, I'm thinking about the future and what this company can look like," Drummond said. "I'm thinking about my kids and what they can do for this company, like having something of their own. Not so many people can walk around school and say, 'Hey, my dad owns a sneaker company.' I get that creative direction. I can essentially make my own shoes if I want to. “I’m looking forward to passing it on to the next generation, to my children, and they will also pass it on to their brothers and sisters.”
"It's bigger than me. It's bigger than basketball. It's bigger than all of us. I want to build a shoe and build a company that is athlete-based."
Everyone knows about the top players who had a hand in creating their own signature sneakers. Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry and James Harden to name a few. These are some of the people Drummond grew up watching, playing against and forming friendships with.
"Seeing that they have their own shoe, I wanted to be like that one day. Obviously, it's later in my career, and obviously, where I was seven years ago is different than where I am now, which is why I say it's so much bigger than basketball. It's creating something that's athlete-based that everyone can know and love."
No matter how long it takes him, Drummond will be able to keep his name in the conversation with athletes who have their own signature sneaker. This is something that not only are they proud of, but their children and younger generations can look up to and want to aspire to do.
At first it was all a dream for Drummond, but now he is living it.
