In 1976, Julius “Dr. J” Irving became the first professional basketball player to sign a sneaker contract. Now, at age 74, he’s back in a new Lockport campaign.
In its first major brand deal in years, the comfort shoe brand will leverage artificial intelligence to reimagine Dr. J’s legacy through a new technology-enabled lens, “exploring how decades of influence across sports, style and culture continue to shape his perspective today,” the company said.
Details of how the company used AI for the campaign were not disclosed, but Lockport said the spot “expands into new creative territory by leveraging AI-driven storytelling to render a personal, introspective portrait of an icon who has always reached beyond gaming.”
“From the day I stepped on the court, I was an innovator,” Irving exclusively told FN. “Back then, it was about pushing the game forward, moving like Rock the Baby Dunk, a new kind of creativity, a new kind of performance. Today, the same thinking applies to the way I live and move around the world. My first car was a ’71 and it was a real beater, but it took me everywhere. Now I’m flying around the world with AI, and I’m still evolving and learning.
The basketball legend added that this campaign is not about looking back, but using his lived experience to move forward. “Rockport fits into that journey in a way that feels natural, integrating comfort, innovation and style wherever life takes you next,” he said.
AI-generated image of Dr. J in the new Rockport campaign.
kristin kelly
This is Lockport’s latest offering since it was scooped up by Authentic Brands Group in 2023 for an undisclosed sum. At the time of this agreement, ABG has entered into a long-term licensing agreement with Mark Fisher Footwear to become Lockport’s footwear partner in the United States and oversee footwear design and wholesale and e-commerce operations.
In May, ABG signed a deal with Chapters Brand Group to sell Lockport into the UK and Ireland. Under the terms of the agreement, the branch will distribute Lockport men’s and women’s shoes throughout the region.
