> I doubt this has a lot more room to run, because NBA Finals TV ratings are in significant decline year by year, and college ball players do not play long enou

> I doubt this has a lot more room to run, because NBA Finals TV ratings are in significant decline year by year, and college ball players do not play long enough to develop a strong enough cult of personality. I'm not so sure about this. Rap/hip-hop culture is fairly popular around the world and they are popularizing sneakers just as much as basketball is. I don't have numbers on this, but basketball is going global, too. American players play in pro leagues all across Europe and Asia. Sneaker culture is a representation of this lifestyle.