SELECT 1 on 1: Isiah Thomas on the Return of his ASICS GEL-SPOTLYTE

It’s pretty evident that the legacy of ASICS as a brand will be best remembered for their contributions to the running shoe category, but there was once a time when they were a well-respected name in the basketball world as well. In fact, that’s where the company got its start back in 1949 when founder, Kihachiro Onitsuka, began manufacturing basketball sneakers out of his living room. Since then, the brand has branched out and excelled in a number of different sports and footwear categories, but basketball will always remain an important part of their history.

It’s been a while now since ASICS was a competitive force in the b-ball realm, but back in the ’80s and ’90s they had quite a few models that saw significant popularity and even made their way onto the NBA hardwood. In the midst of that run, the most significant milestone would be the signing of superstar point guard and surefire Hall of Famer, Isiah Thomas – a move that not only raised the brand’s profile in the basketball community, but also led to the creation of one of their most beloved silhouettes.

Isiah’s 1992 signature model, the Gel-Spotlyte, upped the ante for ASICS’ basketball street cred, but more importantly helped to usher in the notion of the “guard shoe”. Prior to joining the ASICS family, Thomas had worn high-cut Converse and Pumas for most of his career, but the speed-centric ASICS mindset offered an approach that felt better suited to his size and style of play, not to mention the opportunity to have direct input on the creation of his shoe. The result was a lower, lighter shoe for the smaller, quicker player, and for Isiah, that was a dream come true.

Now over twenty years later, ASICS is paying homage to Isiah Thomas and their underappreciated basketball heritage with the long overdue re-issue of the Gel-Spotlyte, true to its original form in construction and colorways. Two OG make-ups of the Spotlyte will be hitting select ASICS accounts next month, so to properly set the stage, we were able to connect with Isiah himself to talk about the shoe’s original heyday and genesis, as well as his thoughts on the 2014 return. Continue on for our ASICS Gel-Spotlyte preview gallery and an exclusive interview with NBA legend, Isiah Thomas.

Sneaker News:  At the time that you first signed with ASICS, the brand was still fairly new to the US basketball market. What made you put your faith in them and why was ASICS a good fit for you?

Isiah:  During that period of time, I was searching for a company that was willing to be cutting edge. I also saw the basketball shoe as very similar to track and running and things I did as a point guard. Track superstars were wearing light shoes, but basketball shoes at the time were very heavy. They weren’t made for the smaller guards. They were mainly made for bigger-sized players, so the weight and the size of the shoes I always felt were cumbersome. ASICS was the first company that I found that really spoke to that lightness and the agility, and they were willing to take a chance on making a lighter version of a basketball shoe. I wanted to wear a lower or mid-cut shoe, and at that time, everybody wanted a high-cut shoe. And that didn’t necessarily fit with the guard skills and the way that I wanted to play the game, so I spent a lot of time searching for a company as you saw during my career. I was willing to take a chance and I wanted to find someone that was willing to play with colors and just be cutting edge and ASICS fit all of that for me.

SN:  How involved were you in the original design process for the Gel-Spotlyte?

Isiah:  I was involved in every aspect of the shoe from design to the weight. All of that was extremely important to me. I wanted a shoe that spoke to the agility of a smaller player and a point guard and the things that we have to do out on the floor. Back then, most of the shoes focused on the protection of the ankle and the foot and consequently they were very heavy and bulky. I was very forceful and rigid in terms of my beliefs and having a lot of input into not only with the design, but the equipment that was going into the shoe.

SN:  What was your initial reaction when they first showed you your shoe for the first time?

Isiah:  I remember when I first got the shoe, it was like – Finally! (laughs) Finally, we’ve got a shoe that speaks for the small man and for guard play. For us, everything was about quickness and speed. The jumping aspect, that was for Jordan and everybody else 6’6″ and above. The small guys, we need speed and to be able to get away and get through, and I thought, finally I thought we had a shoe that allowed us to deal with the speed and agility aspects the way you’d see with a track athlete when they’re running. That’s the type of shoe I wanted to design and have – a shoe that gave me the quickness and the lightness to be able to get away from the other players.

SN:  Can you recall any standout moments or memorable games you had while wearing the Gel-Spotlyte?

Isiah:  I can’t think of any specific games or moments. When you’re doing your thing out there on the floor, the last thing you think about is the shoes that you’re wearing. It’s just the flow that you’re in. So it’s about having a good shoe so you don’t have to worry about that and just know that you have the lightness and comfort you need without having to think about it.

SN:  Were you surprised when ASICS told you they were bringing back your shoe?

Isiah:  I really was. You know, in the shoe industry, there’s really only one guy who’s had a never-ending shelf life and that’s Jordan. So in this business, when you can have a second life, it’s great, and I’m honored to be able to do it.

SN:  Is it exciting to see the Gel Spotlyte re-introduced to a younger generation who may not have had the chance to see you play in it?

Isiah:  It’s crazy! (Laughs) I just gotta laugh, because you look back at the body of work you’ve left out on the floor, and again, you hope that it has a long-lasting shelf life for people to acknowledge as a Hall of Fame career. But to have a product shelf life, we were never thinking in those terms as far as having a second product life on the shelf after you play. It’s an honor and it feels crazy good. It’s just like, wow! You know, it’s the unexpected that you never saw coming that makes you feel good when it happens.

SN:  If someone would have told you back in 1991 that 20-something years later they’d be resurrecting your shoe and selling it again, would you have thought they were crazy?

Isiah:  I would have said that they were crazy, but in all actuality, in designing the shoe and putting it all together and spending that kind of time with the engineers, I was definitely thinking about a shoe that would speak to the guard’s play for an eternity. This is what we needed as a shoe, and it was different from what the big guys needed in a shoe.

SN:  So is it safe to say you played a part in changing the way brands approached creating different kinds of shoes for different sized players and positions?

Isiah:  I can say without a doubt that at that period of time, we were the pioneers in terms of making a shoe for the point guard. I searched through a lot of companies and I chose ASICS and ASICS chose me. I chose them because they spoke to what the smaller player needed and we were one of the pioneers of that thought.

SN:  Did you hold onto any original pairs from your playing days as keepsakes?

Isiah:  Yeah, but I didn’t keep them for any reason other than the sentimental reasons. This was a shoe that I designed. You have a lot of emotions and sentiments tied into the shoe, because you put your thoughts and creativity into the shoe and it was one of those things you just always want to be proud of. To say, Hey, this is what I did, so I saved them!

SN:  Now that you can get your hands on a brand new pair of Spotlytes, will you been wearing the shoe around in your everyday life?

Isiah:  Absolutely! I will be sporting them all very proudly. I’m still like a high-schooler. It is all about the gear!

A huge thanks to Mr. Thomas for taking the time to talk sneakers with us and keep an eye out for the return of his ASICS GEL-SPOTLYTES coming soon.

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The GEL-SPOTLYTE is a reproduction of a basketball model originally introduced in 1992 from the classic ASICS archive. The rubber eyelet stays are a nod to styles from the 1990s while original model elements like the sponge collar padding and large brand logo are reincorporated into the new GEL-SPOTLYTE. Look for the first two colorways to arrive at ASICS retailers in early April.

-Colin Brickley, ASICS Sales and Marketing Manager