![](https://thedifferentfolk.imgix.net/2Josephine-Rais_Art-and-Illustration_Berlin_Adidas_ProAthletes_Candace-Parker-Heroimage-Shoerelease_2022.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=focalpoint&dpr=1&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-2.1.1&w=2000&s=4fb75910e5aefb7ece5a2b0213063e0a)
Candace Parker and Abby Dahlkemper are two modern US sport legends. Parker was last on court leading Chicago Sky to their maiden WNBA title; Dahlkemper won the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup for the USWNT (USA’s iconic women’s football team).
![](https://thedifferentfolk.imgix.net/2Josephine-Rais_Art-and-Illustration_Berlin_Adidas_ProAthletes_Abby-Dahlkemper_Shoerelease_2022.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=focalpoint&dpr=1&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-2.1.1&w=2000&s=883cde67e82e033acf810fb346432e6e)
When you need sporting royalty to be illustrated, you turn to Different Folk royalty: Josephine Rais.
![](https://thedifferentfolk.imgix.net/2Josephine-Rais_Art-and-Illustration_Berlin_Adidas_ProAthletes_Candace-Parker-Shoerelease_2022.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=focalpoint&dpr=1&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-2.1.1&w=2000&s=c4ccde298364d012fa1b77f39838b3c0)
To kick off their fresh collab, Adidas commissioned Rais to cast Parker and Dahlkemper in her signature style: powerful poses, bold shades, fluid shapes. For the shoes, Josephine went granular: capturing every last stitch, thread and deubré; it’s detail that would send palpitations to the hearts of sneaker collectors.
![](https://thedifferentfolk.imgix.net/2Josephine-Rais_Art-and-Illustration_Berlin_Adidas_ProAthletes_Abby-Dahlkemper-Heroimage_Shoerelease_2022.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=focalpoint&dpr=1&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-2.1.1&w=2000&s=1cbbd9f8edcba0e1993db037df65c2a2)
Josephine has posted her work here – look out for the smiley-face basketball.
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