Game-Changer: How M.L. Carr and New Balance Took on Nike and Converse

In the early 1980s, if you played basketball, you were likely wearing Nike’s Air Force 1s or Air Jordans. You might get a pass if you wore Converse, but you could expect to be laughed off the court if you tried to hoop in New Balance.

That began to change when M.L. Carr, then a gritty role player for the Boston Celtics, became the company’s first basketball partner and eventual board member—helping New Balance design its first hoops shoe and signing off on its first million-dollar rookie endorsement deal.

Carr was the perfect face for the brand. Michael Jordan was the face of Nike, while Magic Johnson and Larry Bird had deals with Converse. New Balance had to find a way not only to break into the world of basketball but also to find a face that would tug at the heartstrings of fans.

Fresh off an incredible 1979 season—when he led the league with a career-best 2.5 steals per game and earned a spot on the All-Defense Second Team—Carr’s tenacity on the court caught the eye of the rebuilding Boston Celtics, who eagerly signed him as a free agent.

The addition of Carr immediately propelled the Celtics back to the top of the NBA standings after finishing near the bottom the previous season.

Carr’s overtime heroics during the NBA Finals remain a historic favorite for Celtics fans. During Game 4 of the 1984 Finals against the Lakers in Los Angeles, Carr secured a crucial steal and dunk in overtime that helped lead the Celtics to victory.

His iconic and fiery towel-waving to energize fans and teammates made him a beloved figure in Boston basketball lore—and the perfect ambassador for an underdog brand seeking to break into the basketball scene.

By 1982, New Balance had hired Carr to help them design their signature basketball shoe. He was tasked with working alongside the research and development departments to create a shoe that embodied the brand’s commitment to long-lasting athletic footwear.

Carr wasn’t content with just helping to design shoes and serving as the brand’s face. He leveraged his Celtics network and business credibility to persuade New Balance to sign Los Angeles Lakers rookie James Worthy, who became the brand’s first marquee basketball endorsement.

The New Balance 480 line was introduced in 1983 as their inaugural NBA basketball sneaker, worn by both Carr and Worthy. For the rookie, the deal was historic—earning him $1 million over eight years, marking basketball’s first million-dollar sneaker contract and positioning New Balance beyond its running-shoe reputation.

While the brand faded from the NBA in the 1990s and 2000s, New Balance made a comeback around 2010. Now, NBA athletes—including Kawhi Leonard, Jamal Murray, and Tyrese Maxey—along with WNBA star Cameron Brink, are New Balance athletes.

All made possible by the credibility and foundation built by M.L. Carr four decades ago.