Russell Westbrook’s first signature performance basketball shoe is coming soon, and it’s certainly about time it happened. Officially named the Why Not Zer0.1, it blends simplicity with sleek design cues that many Jordan footwear historians liken to the post-Tinker early 2000s era of “Team Jordan” footwear that focused more on the new breed of athletes across several sports.
There’s certainly a minimal and modern look to it due to the thin blank-canvas shell overlay that lends to a more artistic approach to colorways. The “Mirror Image” features a mosaic of iconic imagery from the brand’s past and present; the left shoe presents an oversized Jumpman logo in red, while the right shoe features Westbrook taking flight for one of his ferocious jams. The ankle strap, held down by velcro on the medial side, features his RW logo debossed into the padding, while the tongue’s “Why Not?” message adds to the eccentricity that reflects Westbrook’s personal style. The ultra-sleek heel structure appears like it was carved out of clay.
You’d be hard-pressed to find full-length Zoom Air for $125. That’s a lot of cushioning for a $125 sneaker. The Kyrie 4 and PG 1 are in that price-range, but have Zoom positioned at the fore-foot. We’re not saying that more Zoom necessarily makes a better sneaker, because it’s really about the athlete’s individual style of play. Nevertheless, it’s a lot of Zoom and it’s going to be comfortable.
The Why Not Zer0.1 is one of those “you have to see it in person” shoes. It’s easy to miss the little details through press imagery, so do yourself a favor and check it out in person. If you’re that interested, it’ll be difficult to leave the store without a pair. The first colorway of releases on January 15th in the “Mirror Image” edition, so it’s likely that it’ll sell out quickly on SNKRS. The next white/black “Two Way” colorway, which we will show you next week, releases in February.