phrases, pictures & design // Nick DePaula
A 12 months after being chosen #1 total within the 2020 WNBA draft, SLAM stamped New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu as “The Subsequent Queen of NY” for the magazine’s Future Challenge.
Two years after SLAM #231, Sabrina was launching her very personal signature shoe with Nike — simply the twelfth participant in W league historical past to have her personal namesake sneaker — a distinction each historic to replicate on, and aspirational to look forward in direction of.
“I do know the numbers — solely 11 gamers in 27 years have come earlier than me,” she beamed after the launch. “It’s one of many highest honors in our recreation and one thing past humbling to be part of.”
The second instantly took Ionescu’s starpower and impression on the sport to yet one more degree.
An All-Star and All-WNBA PG in every of the final three seasons since, the 3-Level Contest document setter is as soon as once more operating level for a loaded Liberty squad that reached the WNBA Finals a 12 months in the past, and aspires to but once more this 12 months.
Her debut signature mannequin broke limitations and noticed adoption in any respect ranges of the sport, inspiring “anybody, wherever,” simply as she had hoped.
“It’s loopy to consider now, however the imaginative and prescient that Nike and I had collectively has actually come to life,” she added.
The momentum round her second sneaker made it one of the vital anticipated fashions of your complete 12 months. It’s led to gamers of all positions, in any respect ranges and from all backgrounds feeling impressed each time they’re lacing up their pairs of Sabrinas.
“That’s been one thing that we’ve been capable of see occur, from NBA gamers to varsity gamers and now younger boys,” mentioned Ionescu. “They’ll be capable of put these footwear on and really feel like they will exit and attain something.”
With the expectations rightfully excessive as Sabrina entered her fifth season this summer time, there have been additionally equally excessive expectations for her follow-up signature shoe, the Nike Sabrina 2.
Returning a smooth silhouette and versatile colorblocking choices alongside the higher, her second shoe has supplied up each a lighter weight sneaker and a extra responsive cushioning platform. The recognizable Swoosh placement on the within of the primary shoe returns but once more, angled upwards by means of a shattered glass graphic to indicate Sabrina’s barrier breaking sequence.
To spotlight her impression within the sneaker recreation and on the signature shoe enterprise, SLAM teamed up with Nike to create a Sabrina 2 that can be unmistakable on court docket — flooded out in all seafoam.
As SLAM celebrates its thirtieth anniversary and the journal’s upcoming induction into the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame, we collaborated with a batch of manufacturers to spotlight probably the most memorable covers, most impactful gamers and defining sneakers that made their mark in the course of the previous three a long time of SLAM.
Amplifying the brilliant seafoam teal all through, the SLAM x Sabrina 2 options quite a lot of further particulars all through. The heels of every shoe incorporate SLAM’s brand together with a nod to the thirtieth anniversary, whereas the insole additionally contains our celebratory thirtieth banner icon.
The Swoosh logos are elevated all through, standing out with a mirror end that speaks to the younger ladies and boys that may take inspiration from the footwear and “see themselves” in Sabrina’s path.
“My favourite element is the Swoosh and having the ability to see your individual reflection,” mentioned Ionescu. “I need everybody to see themselves, what it’s that they need to create and what it’s that they need to dream — to have the ability to exit and do this in my shoe.”
As SLAM turns the literal web page, with not solely 30 years of impression and a Corridor Of Fame designation cementing the legacy of “the basketball bible” into hoops lore for good, it’s the way forward for the sport of the sport that the journal can be centered on celebrating and highlighting going ahead.
A future that Sabrina Ionescu helps to outline. Each by means of her play, and the impression of her signature sequence with Nike.
“I do know what some individuals may assume: ‘It’s only a shoe…’
“However actually,” she continues. “I believe signature footwear like this can assist proceed to push the sport ahead, for all.”
As SLAM celebrates 30 years within the recreation, our latest Sabrina 2 collaboration seems to be forward to The Future, linking again up with one of many journal’s iconic cowl athletes that’s positive to proceed to pave the way in which for the subsequent technology of the sport.
