Big news for AZ sneaker heads…. Devin Booker has signed an extension with Nike through 2029. The six year Nike extension continues the success he has had both on and off the court these past two incredible years. Arizona fans know what Booker means to the franchise. But what does he mean to the league and to the legacy of NBA greats? If you go to a Suns game, one name stands out above all else. You will see more Booker jerseys on fans than any other player including future hall of famer Chris Paul or #1 overall draft pick, Deondre Ayton. Kevin Durant is an absolute cheat code in the NBA. The Durant trade was HUGE in the valley. KD is either the first, second or third best player in the league depending on who you ask and the Valley fans are just beginning to wrap their arms around the Slim Reaper. But you still see more #1 jerseys than #35
Booker played for one year at Kentucky before the Suns drafted him in 2015 with the 13th overall pick. He’s the youngest player to ever score 60 points in a game (finished with 70) and he’s the youngest player with consecutive 50 point games. He’s an Olympic gold medalist and lead the suns to the NBA finals in 2021. He was on the cover of NBA 2K23 and Drake has a bar about him, but….where’s his signature shoe.
Any Booker fan knows how much he loved Kobe. Booker is very transparent on how much Bryant’s legacy has influenced his game. In 2016, Kobe wrote “Be Legendary” on Booker’s Protro 4s after a game against the Lakers. After Kobe’s passing, Booker tattooed the challenge on his forearm in KB’s memory. Book can be found night-to-night wearing Protro 4s, 5s, and 6s….. or the orange and white Protro 5s that are exclusive to him but also the “Fade to Black” and of course the beautiful “Purple Rain”. But wearing Kobes isn’t unique to just Booker…..
So Kobes are a Zoom Air shoe and occasionally have Zoom Turbo in the forefoot. They often have a phylon foam midsole and the pack a lot of bounce and flexibility. With Book’s input, I’m sure we get a Zoom Air shoe without that big air bubble that isn’t as common in today’s game. And we know Booker’s preference is a low. Early in his career he wore some Hyperdunk Lows, Kyrie 1 Lows and even a pair of Jordan 6’s at one point. He did wear an amazing pair of Kobe ADs as well. The only high he ever wore that I can remember was the Hyperdunk in 2017. So its safe to say that we can expect a low. But will the color blocking include purple and orange? A lot of the PE Kobe’s that he gets include orange but not a lot of purple. The name that I have heard thrown around is the D Book 1. Time will tell on the name. I think the best name for his first should would be “Chapter 1” to tie into the nickname “Book” but I’m not a marketing guy.
Booker certainly has an off-the-court look. He has crafted a style that is definitely his own. His baggy fit with neutral colors is a staple for his pregame arrival. And most nights, he has a simple pair of Chucks on his feet. He’s a hoodie and Carhartt jacket kind of guy. Devin Booker did get a Air Force One called the Moss Point with the rub off paint feature and an amazing tongue tag and the “Yes Ma’am, No Sir” on the heel. The tongue tag has a few hidden details like his birthday Moss Point is the high school that Devin attended in Mississippi.
Booker has a great sneaker closet just like a lot of other high profile athletes. He has original ’85 Jordan 1s, 3s, Travis Scotts, dunks and a whole bunch of Chucks. Booker even claims that Converse is his favorite shoe. This month Converse (owned by Nike), released the Converse x Devin Booker Chuck 70. The all white canvas shoe has an Arizona license plate on the right heel and a clean simple design that fits Booker’s style. The launch of this shoe also included a section of the Converse site dedicated to “Devin Booker’s Picks” that showcases shoes that are inspired by DB’s personal style.
Two weeks after the launch of the Booker Converse shoe, Nike revealed that they would be releasing the Nike Zoom GT Cut 2 Devin Booker player edition. Booker has worn this shoe in numerous pregames this season but he always slides into his Kobes before the tip off. The shoe has some Booker branding on the right tongue and “Keep it Tight” with a rising sun on the left tongue. GT has some orange hits that every suns fan will appreciate. Booker explained the that the colors of the shoe are “desert inspired” and the shoe will drop on May 1st for $170
The Booker branding/logo differs from what we got on the 2017 Zoom Rev PE. I’m excited to see what branding will be connected to the new Booker signature shoe that will inevitably be coming. KD just became the third Nike athlete to sign a lifetime deal with the company. He joins MJ and Lebron as the third player to ever get this honor. MJ has had almost 40 silhouettes. LBJ has had 20 and KD has had 15. Booker is 26 years old. How many silhouettes will he get? What logo will be on his first signature shoe, how will the logo evolve?
How successful will a Devin Booker signature shoe be? What is his perception around the country? His stats are there. In the valley, he has an incredible fan base. But outside of AZ, I know what some people say. He dated Kylie Jenner, he has never won anything, and after the “Luka Special” and “everyone is tough when their up” response from Doncic, Book found his face on more than a few memes. But signature shoes are hard to gauge. Sneaker collabs generated way more hype than an actual players shoe. Sneakerheads would rather have a shoe that Virgil (RIP) was involved with instead of an actual player. If Jay-Z can make the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can, I guess it makes sense that Travis Scott or Sean Wortherspoon can make a Jordan or Air Max a hype shoe.
Signature shoes are different. Nike is after the next Jordan. But nothing catches fire like a Jordan. When the Lebron XX dropped, I was in New York. And 2,800 miles away from the Staples Center, Nike on 5th Ave was promoting all things King James for its release. The Luka 1 is terrible. Its on shelves in every mall. Giannis, KD, Paul George, Kyrie (kinda) all have signature shoes. No hype… Tons of colorways... Full size runs… Retail, outlets, Nike clearance... You’ll find them. But these are hoop shoes. Designed for the court, based on the needs of the athletes that wear them. How many 1-14 Jordan silhouettes did you see during March Madness? How many in the league? Kixstats.com is a great website that will tell you every shoe worn in the league or in college on a night by night basis. As I type this, The Lebron XX is most popular shoe in the league. Kobe’s are 2 and the G.T. Cut 2 is #3. You wont find a Jordan in the top 10. These guys are under contract in some instances. But not in every instance.
In the WNBA, the KD 15 tops the list of most worn shoe. The Lebron XX tops the Euro League list but the Dame 8 is second on the Euro list. But how will Booker’s Signature shoe stack up? For fashion vs. function, we wont know until they are in-hand. The recipe for an NBA shoe seems to be a responsive low top. Booker’s shoe will certainly be both. Will his reputation and status put his shoe on other athletes feet? I hope so. Will the style of the shoe make it desirable for kids across both coasts. I hope so. I know I will have a pair. And wear your shoes.