Tennessee-adidas deal: Candace Parker reacts to Vols' decision to leave Nike

As Candace Parker embarked on her legendary WNBA career following her time at Tennessee, she signed an endorsement deal with adidas. After her retirement, she became the company’s president of women’s basketball.

Now, her alma mater is preparing to return to the brand she wore on Rocky Top. Tennessee announced Wednesday it is signing a 10-year deal with adidas, which also includes NIL opportunities for Vols and Lady Vols athletes.

Tennessee previously had an agreement with adidas, which expired in 2014. Now, UT is returning to the brand, Parker reacted to the news in a press release from Tennessee. She expressed excitement for what the future holds.

“From my days rocking the orange and white to now leading on and off the court, adidas has always had my back with the best gear and support,” Parker said in a statement. “Seeing adidas link back up with Tennessee feels like coming full circle. I know this partnership is going to open a ton of doors for the next generation of Vols – and I couldn’t be more hype about it.”

Parker’s partnership with adidas began in 2008, and her signature shoe with the company launched in 2010 – making her the ninth player in league history to debut a sneaker. She officially joined adidas in an executive role in 2024 while also serving as a TV analyst for TNT Sports.

More on Tennessee’s return to adidas

In Wednesday’s announcement, Tennessee said the deal with adidas includes “unprecedented NIL opportunities” for athletes at the school. Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported players will get a slice of the pie, and adidas is even working quickly to secure deals with Vols athletes this school year. The new contract doesn’t officially start until next school year.

The NIL component of Tennessee’s deal with adidas – which could be worth at least $10 million, according to Dellenger – is especially important in the post-House v. NCAA settlement landscape. Under the agreement, schools can share up to $20.5 million directly with athletes through revenue-sharing. However, there isn’t a cap on third-party NIL deals, meaning adidas can effectively help with “over-the-cap” opportunities.

Tennessee left adidas in 2014 to sign with Nike, and the amended deal runs through 2026. Through the partnership, the university is set to receive $1.2 million in base compensation in 2025-26 and $4.5 million in annual product allotment.

UT initially signed its deal with Nike in 2014, and the original contract paid the school $7.6 million through 2022-23. However, the amendment increased that figure to 11.6 million over 11 years and increased the scheduled payment to $1.2 million for the final three years of the agreement, starting in 2023-24.