Louisville recruit Sebastian Telfair is talking with Adidas about joining that sneaker company's stable of clients should he enter the 2004 NBA Draft out of high school.
According to a source close to those negotiations, Adidas is discussing a multi-year endorsement contract that would pay Telfair between $10 million and $20 million. Telfair attended the Adidas ABCD camp instead of the equally prestigious Nike camp as a high school player, and Adidas counts Telfair's coach at Lincoln High, Tiny Morton, among its paid "consultants."
Telfair, a 6-foot point guard, has not announced whether he will enter the draft or attend Louisville in 2004-05.
Telfair also has had talks with notorious agent Andy Miller about joining his list of clients. Miller was at the center of recent controversies involving Erick Barkley when he was at St. John's and Mike Miller when he was at Florida. Andy Miller also has a working relationship with controversial financial manager Bret Bearup, who represents NBA players.
Bearup, a former Kentucky big man, didn't play for Louisville coach Rick Pitino when Pitino was at Kentucky, but they are friends. Bearup's brother, Todd, played for Pitino at Kentucky in 1990-91. Miller represents at least two players who played in college for Pitino: Ron Mercer and Reece Gaines.
Another of Miller's NBA clients, Kevin Garnett, signed a lifetime endorsement deal with Adidas. Miller negotiated that contract in August.
That's a lot of dots to be connected. Which dots actually do connect, and which ones do not? That's a question only Telfair, Miller, Adidas representatives and perhaps a few other people can answer. Maybe they will one day. Maybe not.
In the meantime, Pitino is preparing for the potential loss of Telfair by trying to woo Churchill Odia, a 6-6 guard, away from his commitment to Xavier.
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