If you walked through Harlem or the Bronx in 1986, you didn't just see sneakers. You saw a shift in the tectonic plates of basketball culture. On one side, you had a skinny kid in Chicago flying through the air in red and black Nikes. On the other? You had a 7-foot monster named Patrick Ewing patrolling the paint at Madison Square Garden, wearing the three stripes.
Patrick Ewing adidas sneakers were basically the official uniform of New York City for a hot minute. It wasn't just about the shoes; it was about the "Hoya Destroya" taking over the most famous arena in the world. But then, it all stopped. Ewing did something that, at the time, was considered absolute lunacy: he walked away from a massive corporate endorsement to start his own brand.
Most people today know about Ewing Athletics, but the "pre-independence" era—the years when Patrick was the face of adidas basketball—is where the real sneaker DNA lives.
The Big Three: Conductor, Rivalry, and Attitude
When adidas signed Ewing in 1985, they weren’t playing around. They gave him a $750,000-a-year deal. To put that in perspective, they had just refused to match Nike’s $500,000 offer for Michael Jordan a year earlier. They bet the house on the big man in New York.
Jacques Chassaing, the legendary designer behind the ZX series and the Forum, was the guy who crafted the Ewing line. He didn't just make a shoe; he made a tank.
The Adidas Conductor (1986)
This was the flagship. If the Air Jordan 1 was a fighter jet, the Conductor was a Mack Truck. It was massive, high-collared, and packed with every piece of tech adidas had at the time. It was the "premium" model, meant for the actual physical demands of a center who lived in the trenches.
The Adidas Rivalry (1986)
The Rivalry is probably the most famous of the bunch. Why? Because it was accessible. Adidas realized not everyone could drop the cash for the top-tier Conductor, so they stripped out some of the internal tech and created the Rivalry.
It came in that iconic "Knicks" colorway: white leather with popping royal blue and orange accents. It became a street staple. You weren't just a fan; you were repping the city. Honestly, the Rivalry is what kept adidas relevant in the NYC crack-era streetball scene when everyone else was eyeing the Swoosh.
The Adidas Attitude (1986)
Then came the Attitude. This shoe was a beast. It featured an oversized tongue and a padded collar that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. It was loud. It was aggressive. It was New York. Interestingly, the Attitude eventually became the base for Jeremy Scott’s wild collaborations decades later, proving the silhouette was way ahead of its time.
Why Did Patrick Ewing Leave Adidas?
This is the part of the story that gets "kinda" messy. Everything seemed perfect. The shoes were selling, the Knicks were becoming a powerhouse, and Ewing was a perennial All-Star.
But behind the scenes, things were souring.
In the late 80s, Ewing suffered some injuries. According to Big Pat himself, adidas tried to use those injuries as leverage to reduce his payments. They basically told him he wasn't the player they thought he’d be. Imagine telling a Hall of Famer in his prime that he’s a "bad investment."
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Ewing’s agent, the legendary David Falk (who also repped Jordan), didn't take kindly to that. Patrick told them to buy him out.
"I think during my first two years with the Knicks, I got hurt... Adidas came to me and wanted to reduce my payment. So, I told them to buy me out." — Patrick Ewing
The "Ghost" Period: The All-White Mystery
The transition period in 1988-89 is one of the coolest bits of sneaker trivia ever. After splitting with adidas but before his own brand was ready, Ewing played in unbranded, all-white mystery sneakers.
He did it on purpose. He wanted to keep everyone guessing. He wanted to show the world he was a "free agent" of the feet. It was a power move that signaled the birth of Ewing Athletics in 1989. While most players were chasing the next big contract, Ewing was building his own table.
The Legacy of the Three Stripes Era
Even though Ewing Athletics became a massive success—hitting $100 million in revenue by 1990—the Patrick Ewing adidas sneakers never really died.
Whenever adidas retros the Rivalry or the Conductor today, they have to navigate a weird legal space. Since Patrick owns his own brand, they can’t use his name or his face. They usually swap the "Ewing" logo on the tongue for a standard adidas Trefoil.
But sneakerheads know. We see that blue and orange, and we see the number 33, even if it’s not there.
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How to spot the real OGs
If you’re hunting for vintage pairs on eBay or at a sneaker con, look for the "Made in France" tag. The original 1986 runs were produced there, and the leather quality is worlds apart from the modern retros. They use a full-grain leather that ages like fine wine—creasing beautifully instead of cracking like the synthetic stuff we see now.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re looking to get that 80s NYC aesthetic without paying "collector prices" for a 40-year-old crumbling sole, here is how you handle it:
- Look for the Adidas Rivalry Low/Hi: Adidas frequently re-releases these under the "Originals" banner. They are essentially the Ewing shoe without the Ewing branding.
- Check the Ewing Athletics Concept: If you want the actual 1992 era tech that Patrick designed himself after he left, the Concept and the 33 HI are still produced by his own company today.
- Sizing Tip: Both the vintage adidas models and the modern Ewing Athletics shoes run slightly big and very wide. If you have narrow feet, go down half a size. If you're a big guy, stay true to size; these were built for a 7-foot center, after all.
The rivalry between Nike and adidas in the 80s wasn't just about sales; it was a battle for the soul of the city. While MJ won the global war, for a few glorious years, Patrick Ewing and his adidas kicks owned the streets of New York.