For many athletes that have dreams of playing in the NBA, The first big goal is to be drafted (preferably No. 1), sign endorsement deals to take care of yourself and loved ones, Then you want to establish yourself by gain recognition from your peer showing you belong, and lastly you man hope to have a signature sneaker that men and kids alike will fawn over for years to come. (Just to be like Mike)
Today Zion checks another box in the everything NBA players want to accomplish which is having a signature sneaker. Jordan Brand has officially unveiled Zion Williamson’s first signature shoe, the model will officially be called, the Zion 1.
As the first Gen-Z athlete in Jordan Brand’s history, Zion not only signed an unprecedented five-year $75 million deal with before even making his NBA debut, with a roster that can be consider the smallest among all the big sneaker brands. Also have a signature sneaker with Jordan Brand puts him in smaller company with the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul, and Russell Westbrook the only players to have been granted that unique honor in 20 years.
“I remember talking to Zion once when he was close to the draft, when he said that he needed to go back to class,” says Howard “H” White, VP, Jordan Brand Affairs. “He said that he was in the middle of a few projects with his classmates and that they depended on him. He couldn’t leave them hanging. Boy, that sounds a lot like the Black Cat, doesn’t it? We all have a responsibility to a certain standard. When a mountain of a man stands with the common man, that’s when phenomenal things happen.”
Playing a majority of his first two seasons in Air Jordan 34 and 35 PEs ( “Bayou Boys” being his exclusive colorway) with the New Orleans Pelicans it’s safe to say he’ll be finishing his breakout second season wearing the long-anticipated Jordan Zion 1.Debuting them tonight against the Brooklyn Nets on TNT.
Often a process that starts a year prior to the sneakers release, players are subjected to seemingly endless concept meetings, design analysis, and player testing. Zion involved his family in the process, one Jordan Brand team member recalls Zion and his mother showing up to an early Zoom meeting with a homemade cut-and-paste mood board. They’d included pictures of Zion’s favorite Jordans, inspirational quotes, and even some of his favorite superheroes and anime to give the team an idea of where he wanted to go with the shoe.
“We knew that one of Zion’s main inspirations for the look of the shoe was superhero armor. But when we thought about an icon or symbol that could clearly draw out the shoe’s benefits, the “Z” made perfect sense to us,” says Vianney de Montgolfier, Senior Footwear Designer of Jordan Sport. “It’s the letter for speed, it has the base for power, and it’s maybe the most distinguishable letter in the alphabet. There’s nothing else like it.”
The Gen Zion Colony of the Zion 1, commemorating Williamson’s ascension to the spotlight and representation of the game’s next generation, releases beginning April 23. The Colony releases in limited quantities April 23 at Nike Community Store in Elmwood (New Orleans)
The launch colorway of Black/White will officially launch in stores on April 23rd, but three more have already been confirmed. The purple “ZNA” speaks to Zion’s duality of stardom and relatability as it represents the crossover of being out of this world, but also down to earth. The wild “Noah” colorway nods to his younger brother. The bright fuchsia “Marion” commemorates his hometown and middle school in South Carolina.
The shoe itself is a mid-top construction with the forefoot and heel sectioned off by the “Z” design on the midfoot. In addition, a full-length Air Strobel unit and a Zoom Air cushioning unit are encapsulated within the midsole for extra protection. Fore-foot Zoom adds even more explosiveness to Zion’s feet, which should provide ample containment, a certain point of interest given the aforementioned sneaker mishap in college.
Oddly enough there was a emphasis put on the tongue of this sneaker siting Zion often pick a pair of shoes out of his closet based on how the tongue looked and felt, often gravitating towards chunky silhouettes like the Jordan 3 and 5. Taking that into play the Zion 1 has a prominent tongue made of a lightweight material and accented with geometric padding, intended to call to mind the costumes worn by some of Zion’s favorite superheroes.
Look for the Jordan Zion 1 to release in the “Gen Zion” colorway on April 23rd at select retailers and Nike,com. The “ZNA” colorway releases May 5th followed by the “Noah” pair on May 19th and the “Marion” makeup on May 26th set at $130 each.
The dual qualities that define Williamson’s game – powerful and graceful, strong and smooth, understated and dominant – inspires the ZNA colony, celebrating the star’s meteoric rise. The clolrway releases May 5.
Inspired by the unbreakable bond between Williamson and his little brother, the Nioah colorway features drawing and doodles inspired by Noah’s visits to Nike’s world headquarters. The colorway releases May 19.
The Marion colorway represents Williamson’s home in South Carolina – the place that made him who he is today, and where he learned the value of family, friendship and hard work. The colorway releases May 26.
