Although Jayson Tatum’s record-breaking performance this past Sunday won the Celtics wing his first All-Star Game MVP, some arguably bigger headlines were attached to his name. While his first signature silhouette was teased across social media a little under a month ago, Nike and Jordan Brand have officially unveiled the Tatum 1.
The new signature sneaker is touted as the lightest shoe in Jordan Brand’s current performance catalog, claiming that its innovative design was rooted in Tatum wanting a shoe that felt “connected to his foot.” As a result, it boasts a lightweight TPU frame and uncaged Zoom Air unit to shed any excessive materials and provide optimized energy return, deeming it ideal for on-court performance — no wonder he just put up 55 points in the All-Star Game.
As it stands, the star forward is only the 9th player to receive his very own set of Js, inching his way to the pantheon of household names á la Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwayne Wade — that’s three-quarters of the Banana Boat! Conversely, Tatum is one of five active players with a signature pair, alongside fellow young supernovas like Luka Dončić and Zion Williamson. When discussing his first-ever pair of kicks, Tatum reminisces on his years before the league, saying, “I remember being a kid, walking into the store, and looking for the signature shoes of my favorite players…I want this shoe to be a bridge between my fans and me to bring us closer together.”
Jordan Brand’s Tatum 1 will be available starting April 7 for $120.
