ORLANDO — Celtics forward Gordon Hayward said Chinese shoe manufacturer Anta reached out to him this week to stress that the escalating turmoil between the NBA and China will not affect Hayward’s endorsement deal with the company.
“They were like, ‘Hey, our relationship stays the same,’’’ Hayward told the Globe on Friday. “So that’s kind of what I know about it, and they’ve been nothing but good to me.’’
Reuters reported this week that Anta said it is halting its contract renewal negotiations with the NBA. Hayward agreed to a four-year shoe and apparel deal with Anta in 2018 and traveled to China with his family last summer for a promotional tour.