Gilbert Arenas Finessed Adidas for $40 Million

Former Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas explained how he received and lost a $40 million contract with Adidas.

NBA fans old enough to remember Gilbert Arenas know how talented the former Washington Wizards point guard was back in the 2000s. Nowadays, fans of all ages know Arenas as the hilarious podcaster who is unrelentingly authentic.

Thanks to his resurgence in popularity over the years, Adidas has begun retro-releasing Arenas' signature shoes. Last month, we covered the release of the Adidas Agent Gil Restomod and explained how fans could purchase the old-school hoop shoes.

Adidas Agent Gil Restomod shoes / Adidas

In a recent interview with DJ Vlad of Vlad TV, Arenas gave fans insight into his relationship with Adidas. The entire interview (NSFW language warning) can be found on YouTube. But one of the more interesting parts of the interview is how Arenas was able to negotiate a $40 million sneaker deal.

Arenas explained how he manufactured a grassroots movement (including a fake party) to increase his popularity among fans and eventually became the face of the Eastern Conference NBA All-Star Team in 2007.

Arenas and Adidas representatives met in Las Vegas, Nevada, during All-Star Weekend to negotiate his next sneaker deal. According to Arenas, Adidas initially offered him a 5-year, $15 million contract. However, as he planned ahead of time, Arenas left the meeting and returned to his hotel room. 

An Adidas rep went to Arenas' room and asked how much the All-Star wanted for his new deal. Arenas countered with a 5-year, $40 million contract, which Adidas agreed to on the spot.

Of course, the rest is history. Arenas recounted how he lost the contract due to his felony gun charge in 2009. But after more than a decade, Adidas and 'Agent Zero' are back in business. Fans can easily find his kicks on the Adidas website in multiple colorways. Stay locked into FanNation Kicks for all of your shoe news.

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