Jordan Brand announces four new colorways of the Jayson Tatum 1 line

Take a peek at how they look — and feel free to vote on your favorite.

The Jordan Brand signature Jayson Tatum 1 line of Nike sneakers has officially announced a new set of colorways for the popular NBA kicks per new reporting from Complex’ Brandon Richard, with the new crop of four signature sneakers that reflect the Boston Celtics star’s personal life as did the initial four colorways. The first of the four, dubbed “Old School,” will be released on July 15 of this year and reflects Tatum’s fandom of American automobiles.

The next, dubbed “Denim” for a fashion favorite of Tatum, comes out on August 10. The “Wave Runner” colorway, due out on October 20, is a nod for he and Deuce Tatum’s love for water sports, and the “Cool Grey” colorway is a nod to the Air Jordan 11s, the Duke alum’s favorite all-time sneaker.

Let’s take a peek at how they look — and feel free to vote on your favorite in the poll below.

Let the Shoe Wars Begin: Dee Brown on his, Michael Jordan’s role in early sneaker culture

Hear what Brown had to say about his role in helping start the so-called shoe wars and more.

Legendary Boston Celtics dunk champion Dee Brown was so much more than a high-flying novelty act on the basketball court.

Of course, his aerial proclivities certainly did not hurt his career as an NBA player. His high-flying skills opened doors to him that left Brown with tales for the ages, like the time he met His Airness Michael Jordan at a party after a dunk contest.

In a recent interview with Los Angeles Lakers icon Michael Cooper, the Jacksonville native talks about Michael Jordan’s ultra-competitive nature and how he wanted to win on and off the court, how his dunk contest victory with Reebok Pumps affected Jordan, as it put a dent in his Nike endorsement, and more.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what Brown had to say about his role in helping start the so-called shoe wars and more in the video embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Boston legend Larry Bird could ball, but did you know he also rapped?

If there was any doubt as to why Larry Legend did not eschew a career on the court for one on the stage, this might be the best evidence we have to settle such a question.

When it comes to the Hick From French Lick (as Boston Celtics Hall of Fame forward Larry Bird was affectionately known by his fans), very few people stacked up against the all-time great on the basketball court. But fewer today know about Bird’s incredibly brief career as a rap artist.

Yes, you read that right — though we might be stretching the concept of rapper about as far as one can before it ceases to make any sense. In an ad for one of the first sneakers sold with the endorsements of multiple NBA players, the Indiana native dropped some (very awkward) bars to finish the cipher started by lifelong friend and rival Magic Johnson.

“The Converse Weapon, that’s the shoe,” began Johnson. “Lets Magic do what he was born to do.” Detroit Pistons icon Isiah Thomas followed with “Maybe so, but that’s not all. Lets Isiah play like he’s 10 feet tall.”

“For the types of moves that never fail, the Weapon is the choice of Kevin McHale,” countered Bird’s star teammate, with Mark Aguirre and Bernard King dropping some verses before Bird took it home with “You already know what they did for me — I walked away with the MVP.”

If there was any doubt as to why Larry Legend did not eschew a career on the court for one on the stage, this might be the best evidence we have to settle such a question.

But then, very few NBAers have ever made that leap successfully — and fewer still with the level of skill on the court Bird possessed (h/t to Sportscasting’s Mike Thomas).

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

[mm-video type=video id=01gxymfeadaery9jyv5k playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gxymfeadaery9jyv5k/01gxymfeadaery9jyv5k-d3a07320bb274c46a169a5b677f31208.jpg]

Boston’s Jaylen Brown sports custom sneakers paying homage to Mesoamerican ball game

Associated with the ancestors of today’s indigenous cultures of what is today Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, the Caribbean, and the US Southwest, the sport bears a clear resemblance to basketball.

While the consensus on the origin of the sport of basketball places its origin as a sport to Springfield’s James Naismith, there have been a few competing claims over the decades, such as that of Lambert Will of Herkimer, New York. But if one looks at the general concept of putting a bouncy ball through a hoop, the roots of such sport go much deeper in the history of the Americas.

Ahead of the Boston Celtics’ first round tilt with the Atlanta Hawks, Boston’s Jaylen Brown paid homage to those roots in the form of sneakers painted to raise awareness of the Maya or Mesoamerican ball game as a progenitor of sorts for the sport Brown now plays for a living.

Associated with the ancestors of today’s indigenous cultures of what is today Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, the Caribbean, and the US Southwest, the sport bears a clear resemblance to basketball.

Jaylen Brown dons custom Bill Russell sneakers for Game 1

Jaylen Brown is rocking a pair of green and black sneakers with a photo of Bill Russell for game one of the postseason.

Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown laced up with a very interesting pair of sneakers for Game 1 of the 2023 NBA postseason. Brown wore green and white shoes which featured a photo of Bill Russell, a nice homage to the eleven-time champion.

Russell passed away this summer at the age of 88. Brown, the Celtics, and the entire NBA have honored Russell’s legacy throughout this season, and Russell’s No. 6 was universally retired across the league. Brown’s sneakers are just one of many ways the Georgia native in particular has worked to highlight the life and legacy of one best to ever do it.

Russell was a strong advocate for social justice and racial equality during his playing days and beyond, setting a precedent and culture for the Celtics for years to come. Brown, meanwhile, has been a vocal advocate for social justice and change in the city of Boston and throughout the country since joining the league in 2016.

Boston’s Jayson Tatum gifts the Celtics coaching staff his new signature shoe

The wait for Jayson Tatum’s first signature shoe is officially over.

With Jayson Tatum’s first signature shoe, the “Zoo” colorway of the Tatum 1, finally available for mass purchase, the St. Louis native could be seen sporting the red and black kicks on the court in the Boston Celtics’ penultimate home and regular-season contest against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.

But much earlier in the day, the former Duke player did his coaches a major solid, the Nike sneaker was handed out to all of Boston’s coaching staff at the team’s practice facility of Auerbach Center.

The lightest shoe in the Michael Jordan-inspired line of sneakers was well-received by the coaching staff.

Check out the clip embedded below to see Taco Jay handing out his signature kicks for yourself, courtesy of our friends over at CLNS Media.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

On Bill Russell, the original sneaker free agent

Decades ago, in the Louisiana native’s prime with Boston in the 1960s, Russell decided to endorse a shoe made right here in New England.

Star Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown is a sneaker free agent by design, his high standards for what he wants in footwear he would be endorsing with not only his name but also his values make the fit — both literal and metaphorical — critical.

But as is often the case with Brown and the Celtics, the forward-thinking star is following a path blazed long ago by a larger-than-life Boston icon, Hall of Fame Celtics big man Bill Russell. Decades ago, in the Louisiana native’s prime with Boston in the 1960s, Russell decided to endorse a shoe made right here in New England.

And he did it his way, creating a product that extended the life of that shoe company without simply being a transactional renting of Russell’s name and likeness.

Celtics alum Ray Allen on why he chose his first shoe deal over others between FIBA and Jordan Brand

The former UConn standout shared a formative moment when a company tried to aggressively push him to ink a shoe deal.

When it comes to the intense pressure that followed young NBA prospect Jesus Shuttlesworth around like the plague in the classic basketball film “He Got Game,” Boston Celtics alum Ray Allen only needed to draw on his own personal experiences to make his role as Shuttlesworth seem true to life.

Recently, in an interview with fellow Banner 17 titlist James Posey on his “Posecast” podcast, the former UConn standout shared one such formative moment, when FIBA tried to aggressively push him to ink a shoe deal with Allen at the same time he also had a deal with Nike’s Jordan Brand.

The push would help shape his decision, and the reason given for the company he ended up choosing, for the onetime Celtics sharpshooter, was simple.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear why Allen ultimately elected to pick the shoe company he did while a rookie in the league.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[mm-video type=video id=01gqg8nyebmmbnkb61hr playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gqg8nyebmmbnkb61hr/01gqg8nyebmmbnkb61hr-a2adb529cf7f123b75a75e2e9b4fb31e.jpg]

[vertical-gallery id=116146]

[lawrence-related id=116021,116037,116019,115995,116148,115589]

[listicle id=116023]

[listicle id=115984]

[listicle id=115921]

[listicle id=115926]

Jayson Tatum reveals playing through hand injury, leaked shoe image fake

The Celtics star was in a revelatory mood after helping dispatch Brooklyn Thursday.

For star Boston Celtics swingman Jayson Tatum, his postgame media availability after Boston’s win over the Nets on Thursday was dually revelatory. On the more serious side of things, the Duke alum shared that on top of his chronic wrist issues, he has also been playing through what sounds like a minor if nagging hand injury as well.

Referencing his wrist, Tatum shared via CLNS Media that he has had “issues with my thumb and recently my ring finger” he has been taping up to help ease the discomfort. The St. Louis native also spoke about the leaked images purporting to be of his new signature shoe, which Tatum suggested were not the finished product that will hit the stores soon.

“Truthfully, that’s not the real picture,” he explained. “I’ve seen the not-real version that came out today.”

“The kid in me wanted to post the real picture, but I’m excited I’ll be wearing them very soon,” he added. “But that’s not exactly how they look.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[mm-video type=video id=01gnyyhk2wfxygqxrj78 playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gnyyhk2wfxygqxrj78/01gnyyhk2wfxygqxrj78-2a09c84cf845aebde2e1e7631bb3df7b.jpg]

[vertical-gallery id=115551]

[lawrence-related id=115340,115342,115320,115315,115574,115540]

[listicle id=115492]

[listicle id=115288]

[listicle id=115444]

[listicle id=115368]

Boston’s Grant Williams talks about his next contract, Jordan Brand shoe deal and more

“(No extension) is a disappointment, but you know how much you’ve worked,” explained Williams. “You may be able to get a better deal.”

The Boston Celtics and reserve forward Grant Williams were unable to come to terms on a rookie scale contract extension for the former Tennessee standout this offseason. However, fans of the team (and Williams) ought not to worry, which the former Vol underscored in a recent interview with Stadium’s Shams Charania.

“(No extension) is a disappointment, but you know how much you’ve worked,” explained Williams. “You may be able to get a better deal.”

Some worry the Charlotte native might price himself out of Boston’s spending range with a standout season on his resume in 2022-23.

But, there is limited cap space to burn above the full midlevel exception around the NBA, and Williams is a restricted free agent. If he does put up the sort of numbers that would get teams into a bidding war, that’s a problem the Celtics likely would love to have.

Even so, Williams was likely right to bet on himself, which he explains along with conversation on a new shoe deal with Nike’s Jordan Brand and more.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[mm-video type=video id=01gggcmxn5bk7s5z3rms playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gggcmxn5bk7s5z3rms/01gggcmxn5bk7s5z3rms-c7008615fd5c894f63e2076cfe2c9eec.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=111490,111665,111488,111760,111751,111748]

[listicle id=111666]

[listicle id=111693]

[listicle id=111623]

[listicle id=111663]