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Nick DePaulaESPN
Every season, brands build out remarkably detailed themed sneakers, speaking to a player’s nuanced childhood story or a distant memory still fueling their path today. And then there’s Zion Williamson’s lighthearted, lightweight Air Jordan 34.
The face of the Pelicans’ franchise and leading ambassador of Jordan Brand since signing on this summer, Williamson broke out an off-white, light grey and orange colorway taking tones from an actual pelican. Styled by Jordan designer Kelsey Amy, the kicks come complete with faux feathers along the heel and orange accents channeling the bird’s beak.
While his light brown, crocodile skin “Bayou Boys” edition of the Air Jordan 34 is expected to release in March, the “Pelican” pair is likely to remain another of the many player-exclusive versions the brand has already made for its rising star.
With a more heartfelt theme on hand, Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to one of his favorite player-exclusive editions of his debut Nike Zoom Freak 1 signature model. Featuring a metallic silver upper and regal accents of jade and gold, the colorway was originally designed as a tribute to the Greek Freak’s mother, Veronica, with added “Mother of Champions” text along the heel.
“I wanted my shoe to basically introduce me and my family to the world,” he said back in July.
Every edition of the sneaker already features the names of his parents (Charles + Veronica) along the midsole, as well as the names of each of his four brothers.
Antetokounmpo’s return to the colorway first spotted in November was no coincidence, as he and his longtime girlfriend, Mariah Riddlesprigger, welcomed their firstborn child a few weeks ago. The addition of Liam Charles brings a new perspective to the “Mother of Champions” tribute kicks.
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown pulled out a prized pair of kicks for his lone visit to the Staples Center to face the Los Angeles Lakers this season. A style originally worn by Kobe Bryant just four months after Brown was born, the bold purple and yellow Adidas EQT Elevation was rocked by the then-rookie phenom in the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.
Largely viewed as Bryant’s first statement sneaker in the NBA, the classic shoe has been renamed as the “Crazy 97,” and was rereleased in 2013 after years of cult collector demands. Brown simply captioned “#MambaMentality,” while posting the shoes on Instagram on his way to the arena, his first visit to Staples since the death of his childhood idol.
As people around the world face the budding coronavirus outbreak, both Gordon Hayward and Rajon Rondo unveiled footwear in support of the city of Wuhan, China, this week, the region most impacted by the virus. Both players have signature shoe deals with Chinese brand Anta and have toured the nation, deepening their connection to locals over the years.
With custom painted uppers depicting ancient Chinese mythology figures, each shoe takes on a different storyline in support of the region, making for a mismatched pair. The sneakers feature orange and blue artwork opposite each other, highlighting the “God of Thunder” and “God of Fire” characters thought to defeat demons and viruses. Along with the artwork, Chinese phrasing reading “Wuhan, Stay Strong,” is inscribed.
“Fire and thunder are the elements of the Chinese philosophy of Wuxing, which covers the five types of energy and also symbolizes the five major organs of the body,” an Anta spokesperson said.
Beyond having its athletes wear the shoes to show support, Anta has donated $10 million toward coronavirus victim support funds in Wuhan, along with an additional $20 million worth of apparel and footwear to the region. Brand headliner Klay Thompson sent video messages of support to the city while working behind the scenes in recent weeks to fund and deliver a massive supply of preventative face masks to citizens.
After debuting a year ago at the 2019 All-Star Weekend on the feet of eventual NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, New Balance is now cementing its return to the NBA with a new official league partnership taking effect earlier this week. The standard partner deal allows the company to utilize Leonard in LA Clippers uniforms and other league likeness elements in its marketing.
“We are excited to further solidify our position in the global basketball community by collaborating with the NBA as an official long-term, strategic partner in order to continue to enhance our position as a leading athletic brand,” said Chris Davis, vice president of global marketing at New Balance.
Though his debut signature model with the brand isn’t expected to widely release until October, Leonard debuted yet another new colorway of “The Kawhi” this week, in clean grey tones with simple red and royal accents throughout.
Finally, weekly Kicks of the Week honoree P.J. Tucker posted on Instagram an exclusive pair of Air Jordan XI’s featuring pink snakeskin and the No. 45 on the top of the heel that Michael Jordan wore during the 1995-96 season.The Houston Rockets forward graced the TD Garden court with the sneakers in Saturday’s contest versus the Boston Celtics.
Check out the best sneakers spotted around the league in this week’s overview, and be sure to vote for your favorite pair in our poll below. For real-time updates on sneaker culture and NBA kicks, follow @SneakerCenter on Instagram.