CONVERSE AND ELTON BRAND
INTRODUCE THE EB2 SIGNATURE SHOE
TO START THE 2009-2010 NBA SEASON
EB2 to Feature the Iconic Converse Star Chevron Logo

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (October 22, 2009) – Good things happen in threes. The 2009-2010 NBA season marks three notable returns for 10-year NBA veteran Elton Brand and Converse. Brand returns healthy for his second season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Converse’s iconic Star Chevron logo is once again featured on basketball footwear, and Converse returns with another Elton Brand signature shoe called the EB2.

The EB2 is a follow-up signature basketball shoe from last year’s first-ever Elton Brand signature shoe, the EB1. After a successful year with the EB1, Converse again partners with JCPenney to offer an affordable performance basketball shoe for adults and kids.

“I grew up watching basketball’s greatest players wearing the Converse Star Chevron logo on the Weapon and the Pro Leather. To have this logo on the EB2 is a badge of honor,” said Elton Brand. “The EB2 is a great looking, affordable shoe that offers comfort and stability with the appeal of being a signature model. It’s my goal to stay healthy this season and showcase the EB2 with successful, solid time on the court.”

The EB2 is designed for basketball players who specialize in quickness, agility and versatility. The shoe is made of durable leathers for optimal support and features perforation in the toe box and midfoot, providing improved ventilation and comfort. The EB2 also includes speed lacing for a sleek look and a spat strap that provides additional lock down for enhanced support. The midsole is made of light weight EVA, while the outsole has multidirectional circle bone traction, forefoot flex groove and a decoupling heel for optimal ground contact when landing.

In addition to Converse’s Star Chevron logo, the EB2 features Elton Brand’s Converse logo, which was introduced at the start of last season.

The Converse EB2 is available now and retails for $65 in adult sizes and $50 in kid sizes. The EB2 is available exclusively at JCPenney locations nationwide and online at jcp.com and converse.com. It will roll out in three colorways this season including black/white/red, white/black/red and white/black.

About Elton Brand
One of the premier post players in the game since being selected as the first overall pick of the 1999 NBA Draft, Elton Brand returns for a second year as a Philadelphia 76er. A two-time NBA All-Star selection and the 2000 NBA Rookie of the Year, Brand averaged 13.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game during the 2008-09 NBA season. He was named the consensus college player of the year following his sophomore season at Duke University, where he led the Blue Devils to the NCAA Championship Game. The recipient of the 2006 NBA Sportsmanship Award, Brand also founded the Elton Brand Foundation in 2000 to help communities through educational and recreational opportunities.

About Converse
Converse Inc., based in N. Andover, Massachusetts, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NIKE, Inc. Established in 1908, the Converse brand has built a reputation as “America’s Original Sports Company”™ and has been associated with a rich heritage of legendary shoes such as the Chuck Taylor All Star shoe, the Jack Purcell shoe and the One Star shoe. Today, Converse offers a diverse portfolio including premium lifestyle men's and women's footwear and apparel. Converse product is sold globally by retailers in over 160 countries and through 43 company-owned retail locations in the U.S. For more information, visit Converse on the web at www.converse.com.

About JCPenney
JCPenney is one of America's leading retailers, operating 1,106 department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as one of the largest apparel and home furnishing sites on the Internet, jcp.com, and the nation's largest general merchandise catalog business. Through these integrated channels, JCPenney offers a wide array of national, private and exclusive brands which reflect the Company's commitment to providing customers with style and quality at a smart price. Traded as "JCP" on the New York Stock Exchange, the Company posted revenue of $18.5 billion in 2008 and is executing its strategic plan to be the growth leader in the retail industry. Key to this strategy is JCPenney's "Every Day Matters" brand positioning, intended to generate deeper, more emotionally driven relationships with customers by fully engaging the Company's approximately 150,000 Associates to offer encouragement, provide ideas and inspire customers every time they shop with JCPenney.

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