ADIDAS AND DAMIAN LILLARD LAUNCH SECOND CHAPTER OF CREATORS NEVER FOLLOW

adidas debuts the latest chapter of ‘Creators Never Follow,’ a new film starring Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard that jumpstarts 2016 by celebrating creators in sport. Creators are athletes who seize every opportunity to redefine their sport. They create and defy norms for their team, for their city and for millions of fans.

Through the lens of basketball and one of the game’s most unique talents, the film encapsulates adidas’ vision of inspiring athletes to celebrate every moment in sport as an opportunity to create, redefine themselves and ultimately lead, and never follow.

“This message truly shares who I am. I put in work on and off the court and focus on what I can control every day to create my path,” Lillard explained. “You’ve got to be willing to take risks and gamble on yourself. It just comes down to believing in your vision and never letting outside noise worry you.”

adidas and Damian Lillard illustrate originality, discipline and the bold, new attitude of how sport can and will be played. Combining unmatched athleticism and perimeter playmaking with an obsessive work ethic, Damian is on a mission to build a legacy in this game and prove he should never be doubted. His cold-blooded mentality and killer instinct was on display in a recent comeback victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where the №0 took over with 17 points in the final three minutes of a tough fought battle.

‘Creators Never Follow’ furthers his message of staying true to yourself and the game. Aligned with his #4BarFriday movement, Dame lays down his story of perseverance and what pushes him to succeed. In his own words:

Be a king in ya mind, but do the work of a servant

With a purpose on the mission you get to what you deserving

If it’s worth it you’d be on straight and narrow instead of swerving

Ignore the dream killers and doubters cuz they ain’t perfect.

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EMBRACE THE JOURNEY, SILENCE THE DOUBTERS: ADIDAS AND DAMIAN LILLARD UNVEIL D LILLARD 2

An overlooked high school recruit who rose to prominence as a standout prospect at mid-major Weber State University, Damian continues to establish himself as one the most dangerous players in the league.

Coming up in Oakland and learning to play the game against the older kids who pushed him around, hooping with a milk crate nailed to a telephone pole in his grandmother’s front yard and fighting to grow past the distractions of his neighborhood, Damian is on a mission to build a legacy in this game and prove he should never be doubted.

“My experiences growing up allow me to see things differently,” Damian said. “I went to a small school and nobody knew who I was until my last season, so the critics aren’t really important. There are going to be times when you’re the only person that believes in something that you want and you got to stick to that.”

In just a few seasons, he grew from a little known point guard into the №6 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Rookie of the Year, two-time NBA All-Star and franchise player of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Further establishing Damian’s game as he zeroes in to silence the doubters, adidas debuts the D Lillard 2. Inspired by the city that raised him, the D Lillard 2 is designed to reflect Damian’s competitive nature, relentless work ethic and toughness.

Engineered to advance Damian’s unmatched athleticism and attacking mentality, the D Lillard 2 is constructed with a TECHFIT booty, forefoot webbing and heel counter to support his cold-blooded play on the court. BOUNCE cushioning in the midsole delivers lightweight comfort, while an internal torsion bar adds midfoot flexibility.

“Signature details — I wanted it to have more hints of my background,” Damian explained. “I still wanted it to be a stylish shoe, to be worn off the court again. Being in Portland makes it easy to get my ideas across, meet with designers and create something special for fans.”

The D Lillard 2 combines details inspired by Oakland with bold textures and personal callouts as a nod to Damian’s neighborhood roots, off-court style and ability to silence doubt. The second signature features Oak Print hits — inspired by the iconic tree logo featured on the “Welcome to Oakland” sign and Damian’s hometown tattoos — at the heel counter, midsole and eyelets, while details engraved in the outsole’s traction pattern include:

• Dame — Damian’s nickname on the base of the toe cap
• Oakland — “Oak” is displayed on the right shoe with “Land” on the left
• Brookfield — The neighborhood he grew up in featured at the center of the outsole
• Suga Gee –Gina Johnson, Damian’s mother, raised him to become a man by challenging him to stay the course with a foundation built on family and hard work; her nickname is now featured on the silhouette’s heel

“Dame is pushing the game to another level each time he steps out on the court. He’s the leader in Portland now and it’s a testament to where he’s come from,” said Brian Foresta, vice president of Global Design, adidas Basketball. “He has a story to tell and with him being in Portland, we’ve had the unique opportunity to truly share that with his second signature.”

The Rip City (home) colorway is designed with a textile cream upper and off-white suede detailing for a luxury finish, while interior mesh panels deliver added breathability. Red and black accents are featured throughout, paired with Oak Print hits and a gum outsole for a true court to street silhouette.

The Road colorway features an all-black upper with leather trim and red hits on the laces, outsole, three stripes and Dame branding.

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ADIDAS AND DAMIAN LILLARD WARN “DO NOT CROSS” WITH YELLOW TAPE EDITION

Damian Lillard entered the 2012 NBA Draft on a mission to prove he belonged. He teamed up with personal trainer Chris Farr, who inspired a mentality for playing the game by using a roll of yellow caution tape as motivation. adidas pays tribute to the duo’s never satisfied approach and introduces the Yellow Tape edition of the D Lillard 2.

“We actually roped off the court with yellow tape after his pre-draft workout in Oakland with NBA scouts. I knew they had never seen a workout like that before but the amazing thing is he still wanted to keep going — he didn’t want to leave any doubt behind,” Farr said. “I always keep a roll of yellow tape in my bag and when I give it to Dame, he understands it’s the ultimate reward.

“Our yellow tape is a form of motivation to always be better. It’s something Damian and I are both familiar with being from Oakland,” Farr continued. “I’m humbly blessed to work with a man like him — he’s a rare breed.”

The all-new D Lillard 2 embraces Dame’s yellow tape mentality and killer instinct on the court. Designed with “Do Not” on the right sneaker and “Cross” on the left, the upper features a graphic print in sharp yellow accents contrasted by black details throughout. Black and yellow laces are matched by a speckled BOUNCE midsole, while yellow Oak Print hits on the lace lock and heel counter sign off on the yellow tape tribute.

“The idea behind yellow tape is that you all see where he’s at today but for us, it’s a reminder of the struggle and the beginning of his journey,” Farr explained. “People need to understand it’s more than just a workout. He was unwanted by colleges and couldn’t play on top AAU teams. He needed adversity to give him a reason to accomplish all that he has. This is how yellow tape began.”

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ADIDAS AND DAMIAN LILLARD TUNE OUT THE NOISE WITH D LILLARD 2 ‘STATIC’

While some sleep on the fourth-year guard’s historic success on-court, adidas and Damian Lillard deliver the “Static” colorway, solidifying Dame’s message to all his doubters: it’s just noise.

Coming off the NBA All-Star break, Dame put on a show against the league-leading Golden State Warriors, dropping a career-high 51 points to go with seven assists and six steals in a 137–105 win. He’s the first Trail Blazer to post 30+ points in four-straight games since Clyde Drexler and the first player in NBA history to hit 150+ threes in his first four seasons.

“I don’t need validation — they’ve seen what I can do out there,” Dame explained. “As a man, I’ve grown to rise above it all and block out the noise. I’ll keep pushing, keep working and soon enough they’ll wake up.”

Constructed with white and black threads that deliver a fuzzing static effect along the upper, the latest D Lillard 2 is a symbol of Dame’s motivation to drown out the noise and reflects his unrelenting focus. The silhouette features black detailing throughout and is paired with white Oak Print accents on the heel cap and lace lock. BOUNCE cushioning delivers lightweight comfort through an all-black midsole that is treated with a white speckled finish. The “Static” edition also features a Continental rubber outsole to ensure premium on-court grip during his patented step-back jumper and explosive drives.

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ADIDAS AND DAMIAN LILLARD ‘STAY READY’ WITH LATEST D LILLARD 2

Damian Lillard can and will not be stopped. He’s fearlessly led the Portland Trail Blazers in a historic fourth-year campaign and today adidas debuts the D Lillard 2 “Stay Ready” edition as a tribute to the hours of hard work, focus and training Dame has put in to elevate his team since day one.

As a testament to where his journey with the Trail Blazers began, the silhouette features elements that represent the three-piece suit Dame wore on draft night with a heather gray upper, leather detailing, an iced blue outsole, red accents and gold hits for a clean, classic look. Dame’s “Stay Ready” edition also features Boost cushioning for enhanced on-court lockdown and comfort primed for a playoff push.

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DAMIAN LILLARD TIPS OFF 2015 WITH NEW D LILLARD 1 COLORWAYS

adidas today unveiled all-new “Rip City” and “Road” editions of the D Lillard 1, rounding out Damian’s on-court rotation for the upcoming season. Each colorway features ADIPRENE+ cushioning in the forefoot and SPRINTFRAME construction for enhanced stability and speed.

Rip City

The “Rip City” edition for home games features a primarily white upper with grey speckled detailing and perforation for added breathability and comfort. A two-tone speckled midsole and grey TECHFIT booty contrast black and red hits on the heel pull tab, lace system and D Lillard branding. The shoe also features a metallic finish to the tonal snakeprint heel cap and a callout to “Townbiz” on the outsole, which pays homage to his hometown of Oakland.

Road

The “Road” edition features a black upper combining a rich mix of materials with a synthetic leather toe cap and metallic treatment to the tonal snakeprint heel. A red and white speckled midsole compliments red accents on the TECHFIT booty and heel pull tab, while the grey midsole contrasts for a bold, clean look on the court. The colorway also gives a callout to “Townbiz” on the outsole.

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ADIDAS X D LILLARD 1 OAKLAND REBELS EDITION

Today, adidas and Damian Lillard dropped the latest colorway of the D Lillard 1 signature basketball shoe. Paying homage to the AAU program that helped make Damian the player he is today, the D Lillard 1 Oakland Rebels edition celebrates the NBA All-Star’s path to success.
 
Damian remembers where he came from and the determination it took to play for a program that was once overlooked. The Rebels never received a shoe deal during the point guard’s time with the team, so the players fundraised in their community to have sneakers to play in. Now, Damian supports the program that raised him by donating shoes, uniforms and practice gear.
 
“The Oakland Rebels helped mold me, so I had to give back to them,” Lillard said.
 
The exclusive colorway is inspired by the team’s uniform with a sky blue upper while the full-length adiprene+ midsole compliments a red tonal snakeskin print on the heel and toecap. The royal blue laces feature flecks of red and “DAME” is printed on the right tongue.
 
The shoe also features a signature #4BarFriday freestyle that highlights Damian’s journey and gives praise to Raymond Young (Director of the Oakland Rebels program) in the sockliner:
 
Oakland Rebel childhood.. working hard but over looked
My story’s inspiration ain’t no secrets I’m an open book
Hardwood back boards the rims don’t even break away
Taught us how to grind.. proud to say we learned the Raymond way.

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