Russell Westbrook’s new Jordan Brand featured shoe, the Why Not Zer0.1, is an homage to both his personal story and the inspiring basketball legacy of Michael Jordan.
Last night against the Los Angeles Lakers, Russell Westbrook debuted some new footwear. The Why Not Zer0.1 is the Westbrook’s newest signature Jordan Brand shoe and it’s, frankly, pretty eye-catching.
The Jordan Brand press release discussed the rationale behind some of the functional and design elements.
"The shoe, crafted for the dynamic game and personality of the reigning MVP and fashion king, features a fused mesh upper, smooth vamp cover, full-length Zoom Air unit and compression-molded pylon foam piece engineered for flight. Russ’s on-court debut is a PE version of the “Mirror Image” colorway, a style that displays his desire to tell personal stories through colorways. Each shoe uses cut out images to represent Michael Jordan (left) and Russell Westbrook (right)."
Westbrook was reportedly closely involved in the design of the shoe, offering feedback on both the feet and feel of the shoe as well as the overall look and aesthetic. Westbrook told Nike, “My favorite part of the design process is storytelling. Being able to tell my story through colorways and at different times during the season is a lot of fun.”
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Westbrook’s numbers have fallen slightly from the record-setting triple-double pace her put up last season. Deferring more to his new All-Star teammates, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George, Westbrook’s scoring average has fallen from 31.6 points per game last season, to 24.7 this year. He’s just off the triple-double pace, averaging 10.1 assists and 9.5 rebounds per game.
Of course, the larger prize at the end of the season is what matters most to Westbrook. The Thunder are currently 21-17, holding down the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.
As to the shoes, a “Mirror Image” colorway is releasing in limited quantities on Jan. 15. The “2-Way” colorway releases Feb. 15.