While you’re probably eager to find out about the latest Air Jordans coming out, it’s worth knowing that the Jordan Brand family has a new member. There are currently 21 active NBA players that Jordan Brand sponsors. They include Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler and Russell Westbrook. The most recent to join those names is Jayson Tatum, a 21-year-old rising star on the Boston Celtics roster. In addition to Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, the Boston Celtics now have three Jordan Brand athletes. In 2018, Jayson Tatum had just become a member of the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Jayson Tatum was the first to wear Nike’s Adapt BB self-lacing basketball shoe
Nike Basketball introduced the Adapt BB earlier this year in mid-January 2019 as a basketball shoe equipped with EARL (Electric Adaptable Reaction Lacing) technology borrowed from HyperAdapt. Through Nike EARL, the fit, laces and pressure of the Adapt BB will automatically adjust to the contour of the wearer’s feet. Consequently, they will even be able to choose between a “game”, “street” and “warm-up” mode. Nike has also developed a special app to match the shoe so users can further personalize it. Anyone who installs the app will be able to choose different colors for the midsole lights, download updates, and save preferences.
Overall, the Nike Adapt BB is a mid-range basketball shoe and its automatic lacing mechanism is hidden under a forefoot cover. It also features large “Swoosh” logos at the midfoot that are cut out for their soles. Of course, sneaker fans had to wait until February 17, 2019 for the Nike Adapt BB to make its retail debut in its Black/White/Pure Platinum colorway (AO2582-001) priced at $350. However, Jayson Tatum received a pair much earlier. He was the first to wear the Nike Adapt BB, more specifically on an NBA court, during a 2019 Playoff game between the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors.
Jayson really praised the shoe’s adaptive fit before the game while speaking to reporters. He explained how snug they fit “like a glove,” despite not having laces, and also noted how securely they hold the wearer’s feet. The Celtics ended up defeating the Raptors 117-108 and Jayson himself had 16 points and 10 rebounds with the Adapt BB. Even Brad Stevens, the team’s coach, jokingly expressed his interest in wanting a pair of Jayson’s “motorized shoes” as well.
Jayson Tatum Becomes Official Jordan Brand Athlete Alongside Rui Hachimura
It’s true that Jayson Tatum was acquired by the Boston Celtics just two years ago during the 2017 NBA draft and 2017-18 was his rookie season. However, it was Michael Jordan himself who announced him as the next Jordan Brand athlete. Another NBA player who recently joined the Jordan Brand family along with Jayson was Rui Hachimura of the Washington Wizards. Jayson signed a contract with Jordan Brand last Friday and dated Michael Jordan the next day.
In addition to being a Jordan Brand athlete, Jayson Tatum will be the face of the Celtics from the 2019-20 season onward, considering Al Horford and Kyrie Irving are likely to leave. I hope that he has managed to get some useful hints and tips during his time with GOAT. Last summer, Jayson was even training with Kobe Bryant. Still, it’s truly impressive that Jayson Tatum has already been welcomed into the Jordan Brand family just two years after being drafted.