Wrapping his first-ever “Believe That.” tour, NBA star Anthony Edwards journeyed to China for a multi-city campaign in partnership with adidas Basketball, showing his love for the sport’s expansive global community. Amidst this major milestone in Edward’s global rise, he expressed its significance in a conversation with Hypebeast, “It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Making his way through Shanghai, Chengdu, and Beijing in the final week of August, the sports superstar hosted a series of events, including fan gatherings, youth-focused activities, and cultural moments, culminating in a visit to the Great Wall.  Edwards also appeared with collaborator Edison Chen of CLOT to introduce the CLOT x Anthony Edwards 1, and brought his “Ant Farm” — a new activation platform — to his Chinese fans with immersive basketball programming. In Shanghai, he gathered thousands of fans for a surprise unveiling of the much-anticipated adidas AE 2, the follow-up to his inaugural adidas 1 silhouette.

From the coming NBA season to the sequel of his signature adidas sneaker, Edwards sets his gaze on the future with an all-in attitude and optimistic energy. “I want everything we do to be legendary,” he said regarding his growing adidas line. And as for his 2025-26 NBA season, he says the team will do everything they can to bring the championship to Minnesota — “Believe that,” he concluded.

How are you enjoying your China tour?

Man, it’s been incredible. The energy out here is unreal. Everywhere we go, the fans show so much love. I’ve been wanting to come out here, so to finally get to experience Chinese basketball culture and see their passion for the game. It’s something I’ll never forget.

The adidas Anthony Edwards 1 was an undeniable hit. What made the shoe special to you?

The Anthony Edwards 1 was my first signature shoe, so it will always be special to me. It was really special to get to bring it to life with adidas Basketball and the reaction to it was crazy. Seeing it everywhere and hearing everybody talk about it, I’ll never forget that feeling.

Anticipation for the adidas Anthony Edwards 2 has been building for a while now. Did you feel any pressure to take things to an even higher level?

To me, it’s motivation. The Anthony Edwards 1 set the tone, but the 2 was always about leveling up whether people were anticipating it or not. The goal is always to keep beating yourself year after year. And we did that.

Is there anything about the adidas Anthony Edwards 1 that you’re looking to improve upon with the 2?

With the 2, my goal was to keep the mix of style and performance. The shoe needs to do what I need it to do on the court, but it’s just as important that the shoe looks trim too.

Can you tell us what we can expect from the adidas Anthony Edwards 2?

Man, the 2s are next level. It’s lighter and more explosive and we’ve got some crazy colorways coming too.

When creating the concept for the adidas Anthony Edwards 2, what did you start with?

We started with performance first. The on-court feel has to be perfect. I need a shoe that moves the way I move. The adidas Basketball team built the design around that foundation, making sure that it performs at the highest level, but also still has a bold look and feels like the next evolution of the line.

Before moving on to the 2, you’ve teamed up with Edison Chen’s CLOT for a fiery take on the 1. Aside from being the model’s first collaboration, what makes this pair pop?

You know we had to end the first era with a bang, and when I saw what Edison had cooked up I was speechless. The details speak for themselves. Straight fire.

The marketing behind your partnership with adidas has been one-of-a-kind. How much of your own personality and ideas go into the campaigns?

I want everything we do to be legendary. I can’t thank them enough for allowing me to be who I am. From launching the 1 in Atlanta, to letting Nick be a part of the campaign, everything you see is all me. Believe that.

Outside of your own sneaker line, what’s your favorite adidas sneaker to wear casually?

When I’m off the court, I love to be comfy. Lowkey, you can always catch me in a pair of Adifom IIInfinity slides. When it comes to sneakers, I love the adidas Superstars. Those are timeless.

What are you most excited about for the 2025-26 NBA season?

Man, it’s all about chasing that championship. We will be doing everything we can to bring that championship to Minnesota too. Believe that.

 

 

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