Anthony Edwards spent February talking trash on five NBA stars with adidas by his side, under a slogan he truly believed in. Now, just hours after the Minnesota Timberwolves got bounced from the playoffs, Nike had the last laugh.
Nike Basketball posted on X, quoting the NBA’s announcement of the San Antonio Spurs advancing to the Western Conference Finals, with a simple image on top: “Believe This.” carved into the sand on a red, Mars-like surface, with an alien symbol drawn right below it.
The callback was instant. Back in February, Edwards and adidas dropped an ad campaign for his AE 2 shoe around All-Star Weekend. The campaign ran on his signature “Believe That.” slogan, and in it, he put on a VR headset and went through a video game lineup of thinly veiled NBA superstars, taking shots at each one.
Victor Wembanyama appeared as a lanky green alien, and Edwards drilled a jumper over him while calling out “weight room.” The ad tagged Wemby with “no swag” and a shoe size of 27. Edwards’ line as the ad wrapped up: “It don’t matter who on the floor. I’m the top dog, man.”
That alien jab, paired with the “Believe That.” slogan, was exactly what Nike flipped.
Wembanyama, who is a Nike athlete, just eliminated Edwards and the Timberwolves in six games. The Spurs won Game 6, 139-109, at Target Center. Stephon Castle scored 32 points and De’Aaron Fox added 21. Minnesota got run out of its own building by 30.
What the Adidas Campaign Actually Said
GettyNike Trolls Anthony Edwards in Cold Fashion After Timberwolves Elimination
The February commercial was a multi-layered effort. The Wembanyama figure was only one of the targets. Giannis Antetokounmpo was ridiculed for his slow free-throw routine and persistent trade rumors. Nikola Jokic was depicted as horseback riding, with “zero motivation” among his stats. A referee was seen next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with a whistle as his favorite accessory.
However, the sharpest jab might have been at Luka Doncic. His character was noticeably out of shape and struggling for breath, a reference to the criticism of his conditioning that had followed him after his trade from Dallas to Los Angeles. Edwards scored on him easily and kept moving.
Nike’s Response Was Perfectly Timed
GettyNike’s Savage Anthony Edwards Post Leaves NBA Fans Stunned
The Spurs knocked Minnesota out with relative ease once the series turned. San Antonio went up 3-2 after a 29-point blowout in Game 5 and then closed it out on the road. Wembanyama averaged 19.8 points and 12.0 rebounds in this series.
The alien symbol did all the talking.
Edwards now heads into the offseason having reached the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back years, only to fall in the second round this time around. The Wolves lost to Dallas in the 2024 Western Conference Finals, Oklahoma City in the 2025 Western Conference Finals, and now San Antonio in the second round in 2026.
He said “Believe That.” in February. Nike said believe this.
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