International brands Adidas and PUMA have expanded their reach in the Asian consumer market by not only sponsoring basketball athletes but also creating the first Filipino signature shoe.
PUMA Sponsors the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons
The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons will ‘Go Wild’ in the upcoming UAAP Season 88 as their Men’s Basketball gets a 3-year sponsorship deal with Puma.
In the reported sponsorship, the defending champions are set to receive athletic gear and apparel throughout different training and competitions. That being said, one notable feature that the UP community can expect is the iconic PUMA logo to be seen in the jerseys of the Fighting Maroons come Season 88 begins this September 2025.
“At PUMA, we believe greatness lives within each athlete and the right support brings it to life,” said PUMA Philippines Country Manager and UP alumnus Paolo Misa to reporters.
“As part of our global ‘Go Wild’ initiative, we’re here to unleash the greatness within and help athletes experience the true highs of sport…This long-term partnership is built on trust, grit, and the same fire to achieve greater things. And we at PUMA believe that the UP Fighting Maroons’ best is yet to come, and we’re honored to be on this journey with them,” he added.
Meanwhile, here’s what UP Head Coach Goldwin Monteverde has to say about the recent collaboration between two well-known sports figures in the Philippines:
“We’re truly grateful to PUMA for believing in us and coming in at the right time. This season feels like a fresh start.”
When asked about the UP graduates JD Cagulangan and Quentin Millora-Brown, here’s what the 2-time UAAP Head Coach champion had to say from an article in Tiebreaker Times:
“We’ve lost key players, but the hunger to compete and represent UP with pride is still there. We look forward to working with PUMA as we try to bring another championship back to Diliman.”
In the off-season, the Fighting Maroons didn’t just say goodbye to Season 87 Finals MVP Cagulangan and “1 and done” player QMB but also their high-flying athlete, Francis Lopez, who now pursues his professional career as an Asian import for the Fighting Eagles Nagoya in Japan’s B. League.
Adidas Unveils First Filipino Signature Shoe with Kevin Quiambao, Signs Gómez De Liaño Brothers
The 2-time UAAP Men’s basketball MVP Kevin Quiambao receives the first Filipino player-edition (signature) basketball shoe from Adidas, while Juan Gomez de Liaño and Javi Gomez de Liaño sign with the global shoe brand.
Filipino world-renowned toy designer and artist Quiccs Maiquez designed the shoes for Quiambao named “KQ63” which is an Adizero Select 3.0. Interestingly, the only request of KQ when Quiccs was creating the design of his shoes was to make it in the colorway of “neon pink” since it represented the “bright future of young Filipino athletes”.
This wasn’t just a simple player collaboration or like usual thing done by Adidas, Kevin Quiambao earned himself the right to have his own signature shoe as he has repeatedly carried the Philippine Flag and the pride of Filipinos not just in the local scene but also internationally.
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KQ has been part of the Coach Tim Cone Gilas Pilipinas Program and has been rocking the Gilas jersey since 2022. He has also been part of the Goyang Sono Skygunners from the Korean Basketball League as their Asian import in their 2024-25 season.
Aside from KQ, the Gómez de Liaño brothers being added to the growing Adidas family, which also includes young Pinoy basketball figures such as Tolentino, Nic Cabañero, SJ Belangel, Jacob Bayla, Patrick Sleat, Penny Estacio, Renzo Subido, Veejay Pre, and others, is an absolute win for them.
The two were former UP Fighting Maroons and were able to reach the semifinals along with other UP alumni Kobe Paras and Ricci Rivero during the UAAP Season 82 last 2019.
They have all been all over the world in search of stability in their respective basketball careers. Juan Gómez De Liaño played as an asian import for the BC Wolves at the Lithuanian Basketball League (Lietuvos krepšinio lyga) last 2022 before going to the Korean Basketball League last 2023 to play for Seoul SK Knights, while his brother Javi played in the PBA for Terrafirma Dyip for 2 seasons when he got traded by Ginebra during the PBA 2021 Draft.
This move for the Three Stripes company only aligns with their “expanding footprint and strategic focus on basketball in the Philippines and beyond.”
Aside from showcasing their elite basketball skills while wearing Adidas apparel, this would also strengthen the connection with the Filipino market consumer that the company aims to fully establish.
An Inspiration for Filipino Athletes
It’s still unclear how long the contract of Gomez De Liaño and Quiambao is with Adidas, but one thing is very clear: both PUMA and Adidas are giving a bright message to Filipino athletes in general.
Back then, it sounded impossible for a Pinoy athlete, more specifically a basketball player, to be sponsored by such a well-known sports apparel, but in modern times, anything is possible.
These athletes were once little kids who imagined their dream would soon come true, one wherein they would be successful in the world of basketball. And these collaborations and sponsorships weren’t just given; they have earned it, and the possibility of having the first homegrown Filipino to play in the NBA becomes more realistic as time passes by.
