More than a year after Zion Williamson stoked the fire on his debut signature sneaker with Jordan Brand, the 21-year-old Pelican power forward is gearing up to present his second. The Zion 2 builds on its predecessor while balancing the technical bells and whistles with the athlete’s well-known aggressive playing style.
Double the power —
Arriving in two distinct color variants, the sneaker will be available in a tonal gray “Hope Diamond” and an earthy brown “Voodoo.” Nike’s team split the shoe’s technical design into three key areas that work with the wearer, not against them. Each builds on Williamson’s own on-court capabilities, such as the impact resistance on the heel, containment in the upper, and comfort and mobility in the toes.
The kicks deliver on a new concept that reimagines the strobel, or the fabric stitched to the bottom of a shoe’s upper. Instead of a full-length strobel, the Zion 2 shifts the focus to the heel to allow for 20 percent more Zoom Air on the forefoot. This creates a more responsive shoe and a safer landing on the heel when dunking or jumping.
While the heel caters to more explosive moves, the rest of the sneaker offers snug containment for the rest of Zion’s game. A performance cup sole wraps high up on the foot and is secured with a forefoot strap. The strap is also fitted over the lower half of the lacing system for even more support while still offering mobility in the toes.
He’s back and he’s better —
Given that Williamson already has bolder versions of the sneaker under his belt, we’ve learned by now to look a little closer if you want the full story. The Zion 2 is full of subtle details that speak on his “Nobody built like you, you design yourself” motto, including more ‘90s-inspired touches.
The “Hope Diamond” pair features a light gray base and an abstract royal blue and multi-colored pattern on the rear end. Zion’s desire to “win” inspires the word to be transcribed in Morse code on the outsole, along with the athlete’s refreshed logo. As for the “Voodoo” pair, the sneaker pays tribute to ‘90s basketball through a mix of suede and leather materials.
Although Williamson sat out of the ‘21-22 NBA season due to a foot injury, the athlete has kept busy. He was put through the wringer for gaining weight during his recovery period (body shaming knows no limits, even for NBA athletes) but has since then chiseled down his physique to reveal a titan ready to take back the court. Even Twitter marked his promo video as “sensitive content.”
The Jordan Zion 2 in “Voodoo” will release on June 22 through Nike and select retailers, while its “Hope Diamond” counterpart is slated to arrive on June 30. This is the guy who blew his sneaker apart in 2019, so it’s safe to say the Jordan Zion 2 can withstand some force.
