Jordan Brand Reveals NBA Star Jayson Tatum’s Debut Signature Basketball Shoe
With NBA All-Star Weekend underway, Jordan Brand has revealed the debut signature shoe of Jayson Tatum.
Jordan Brand explained in a statement that the star baller’s highly-anticipated signature shoe, dubbed the Tatum 1, was born out of his desire to wear a shoe that felt more connected to his foot. The look, according to Jordan Brand, was “designed for the next generation of players” and is the lightest shoe in its performance line this season.
Aside from a lightweight and strong TPU frame, the Tatum 1 is wrapped by a ground-contact foam that Jordan Brand explained acts as an integrated traction pattern, and there is minimal rubber on the toe and the ball of the foot “for Tatum’s predominantly forefoot game.” Because of this, Jordan Brand said designers were able to reduce the weight of the shoe while also providing “tight court feel.”
The look also features uncaged Zoom Air bags in the forefoot for high energy return without sacrificing court feel, as well as lightweight and strong mesh knit uppers and padded collars for ankle support.
Jordan Brand revealed four colorways of the Tatum 1. The “Zoo” colorway, according to Jordan Brand, is inspired by the baller’s favorite place to take his son, Deuce; “St. Louis” is executed in the retro colors of the St. Louis Cardinals; “Barbershop” is inspired by “the confidence he feels whenever he gets a haircut”; and “Pink Lemonade” colorway is inspired by one of Tatum’s favorite drinks.
“I want people to feel like they can connect to me,” Tatum said in a statement. “I remember being a kid, walking into the store, and looking for the signature shoes of my favorite players. The moment I saw the shoe or put the shoe on, I felt like I was in sync and closer to them in a way. So, I want this shoe to be a bridge between my fans and me to bring us closer together.”
Aside from the adult sizing of the shoe, the kids’ design is focused on ease of entry and removal. Jordan Brand said Tatum partnered with its design team to influence a kid-specific design that used an injected TPU tailgate system to help with easy entry. What’s more, Jordan Brand said the shoe’s design has a specialized tooling that includes zonal rubber on the outsole with deeper grooves for durability, and the forefoot Zoom Air bag was removed for a more comfortable feeling for kids.
The Jordan Tatum 1 releases April 7 in full-family sizing.
In addition to the shoe, Jordan Brand will release an apparel collection inspired by the “Zoo” and “Barbershop” colorways that includes hoodies and T-shirts for men, women and kids.
