Micah Parsons spotted at Mavs game in Luka jersey & Anthony Edwards shoes. Here’s why

Edge rusher Micah Parsons is officially back with the Dallas Cowboys.

Parsons said he will participate in OTA practices for the first time on Wednesday after missing the start of the offseason program and the first week of OTAs.

Parsons spent some of that time away traveling to Japan and China with Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, documenting their journey on Bleacher Report as ambassadors of the game.

Since coming back to Dallas, Parsons has chosen to work out on his own with a boxing instructor.

Parsons sat courtside for the Dallas Mavericks’ 105-100 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the NBA’s Western Conference Finals at American Airlines Center Tuesday night, wearing a Luka Doncic Mavericks jersey — curiously, along with the signature shoe of Timbervolves’ star Anthony Edwards, Adidas AE1s.

His choice of shoes drew the ire of Mavericks fans on social media. Parsons explained that he’s all in with the local basketball team. But he is also fan of Edwards’ game and, as a brand ambassador for Adidas, he was showing support for his company.

Parsons also made made it clear to the Star-Telegram that his absence for the offseason program and OTAs had nothing to do with any unhappiness with his contract or role with the team.

The Cowboys have discussed signing Parsons to a long-term contract extension but he is third in the pecking order behind quarterback Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.

Parsons, who has made three straight All-Pro teams and has been a top three finisher in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting all three years he has been in the league, pointed out that he didn’t participate in the offseason program last season.

And he said he used his time away to work on individual aspects of “his craft.”

He compared it a basketball player who spent time in the offseason working to became a better free throw shooter.

Parsons said there is only so much allotted time during the offseason program with the Cowboys and that he got more done working specifically on a specific portion of his game.

He is now ready to return to the Cowboys and consume the new defense under coordinator Mike Zimmer with the rest of the defense.

Parsons has kept in touch with the Cowboys coaches and strength coaches while he was away.

Even coach Mike McCarthy said last week that Parsons hasn’t missed much from a scheme standpoint and looks to be in great shape.

The big question is now whether Parsons has spoiled the Mavericks mojo with his support of Edwards.

The Mavericks still have a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series that now shifts back to Minneapolis for Game 5 on Thursday.

No team has ever rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. And the Mavericks are undefeated in Game 5 in previous series victories over the Los Angeles Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thursday.

But Edwards was feeling quite confident after the game.

After running into Parsons in the hallway, he told Parsons he will bring him another pair of shoes when he and the Timberwolves return for Game 6 on Saturday.

“Micah Parsons, you know, he was rocking the AE1’s and I told him, he wear a size 14, I’ll bring him back some nice shoes for Game 6,” Edwards confirmed to the reporters in a post-game press conference. “That’s what I told him.”

It was Edwards who told the locker room attendant in Denver that Minnesota was going to return for Game 7 after a Game 5 loss that put the Timberwolves down 3-2 and on the brink of elimination in the conference semifinals.

Minnesota won two straight games to earn the right to face the Mavericks.

Time will tell.