Adidas basketball shares 4-word reaction as St. John's basketball finalizes major move 

St. John's basketball made a major shift from Nike to Adidas, and the Three Stripes brand expressed excitement at the move.

After the announcement was made in an Instagram post by Boardroom on Monday, Adidas welcomed the Red Storm in the comments with a four-word comment:

“Welcome to the family @stjohnsredstorm! ///”

Credit: IG/@boardroom

Starting in the 2025-26 season, Adidas will officially outfit all 17 varsity programs at St. John’s, ending a Nike partnership that began in 2019. Before that, the school was with Under Armour for six years. This move marks the first-ever partnership between St. John’s and Adidas, and it makes the Red Storm the only Big East school to wear the brand.

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams will now be part of the adidas Basketball family, a major addition for a program buzzing with renewed energy under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino.

Adidas will also provide footwear, training gear and all apparel needs for St. John’s athletics, while also offering marketing and NIL support.

Top recruits like Joson Sanon and Ian Jackson are already signed to Adidas NIL deals, while Sa’Mya Wyatt has also worked with the brand. But with this new partnership, the pathway is wide open for more Red Storm athletes to build their profiles on and off the court.

St. John's and Adidas release statements to confirm new partnership

St. John’s athletic director Ed Kull released a statement to acknowledge the new deal with Adidas, noting the belief that this partnership would result in sporting excellence and off the court exposure.

“We believe this partnership will greatly benefit our men’s and women’s basketball teams in achieving prominence on the court and national exposure,” Kull wrote.

Adidas Vice President of Sports Marketing, Chris McGuire, also noted that it is an exciting partnership for the brand.

“Partnering with a renowned institution in St. John's University represents an exciting moment for Adidas,” McGuire said.

“As a powerhouse with deep roots and big ambition, they match our drive to push limits and shape the future of sport. Together, we’re not just supporting their athletic programs—we’re fueling their momentum and elevating their impact across the collegiate sports scene.”

To celebrate the new era, St. John’s will host an event on Wednesday, July 16, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Adidas Brand Center in Manhattan.