Jayson Tatum has been one of the brightest stars in the league today.
Ever since he stepped foot on the NBA court, he has impressed us with his athleticism and sweet-shooting skills season after season.
For his amazing plays, he was signed into the Jordan Brand in 2019 and rewarded them with some of the best basketball he has ever played.
However, it was not until before the 2023 NBA All-Star game that Tatum’s first signature shoe was unveiled to the public. Since then, numerous praises have been given to his own signature shoe.
Be my guest if you are unfamiliar with the Jordan Tatum 1 sneakers. In this article, I will discuss the Jordan Tatum 1, its features, colorways, and what inspired the design!
What Is The Jordan Tatum 1?
The Jordan Tatum 1, as you know it, is Jayson Tatum’s first signature shoe from Jordan Brand.
His sneakers will drop anytime soon and feature four colorways, including the Pink Lemonade, St. Louis, Barbershop, and Zoo. Different stories inspire each colorway.
The Jordan Tatum 1 is one of the lightest signature shoes the brand has ever made.
One of the biggest reasons Jayson Tatum dominates the league is that he plays positionless basketball.
Jayson Tatum’s signature shoe was a collaboration of what he does best inside the court.
His combination of ball-handling, guarding multiple positions, and ability to guard multiple positions allowed designers at Jordan Brand to pattern Tatum’s signature shoes based on his performance.
Design-wise, the forefoot area features an uncaged Zoom Air Bag that gives basketball players a low-to-the-ground feel and responsiveness while still lightweight.
What Makes Tatum Shoes Good?
The TPU frame gives Tatum and fellow basketball players the torsional stability needed to make aerial dunks, hard cuts, and defensive slides.
The upper and mid-foot areas are enforced with a breathable mesh kit offering excellent ventilation. The padded collars offer extra ankle support for that sweet, stopping crossover, leaving defenders in the dust.
There are also lots of notable features imbued on his signature shoe. One particular detail written on the TPU piece is the phrase saying “I Just Didn’t Quit”; it’s a saying that is tattooed on Tatum’s calf.
Certainly, he wants a shoe that connects him and his fans worldwide. He wants to serve as a bridge to younger generations through his shoes.
Overall, his very first signature shoe is remarkably known for its lightweight feel. Most users of his shoe felt it was one of the lightest they had ever played with.
When Did Jayson Tatum Sign With the Jordan Brand?
Signing Tatum to a contract was a no-brainer move for the company; Jayson Tatum signed in 2019 and is one of a dozen Jordan brand athletes to sign with the company.
Since then, Jayson Tatum has become one of the league’s top scorers and has been named to multiple NBA All-Star appearances and some All-NBA selections.
While it took a while before he eventually got his first signature sneaker, the writings were on the wall, and the Jumpman brand felt it was time to unveil his signature shoe in the 2023 NBA All-Star game.
To kick things off, the “Zoo” colorway will be released the first week of April, and the rest will be followed up in April, May, and June.
What Are The Different Styles Of The Jordan Tatum 1 Shoes?
As Jayson Tatum mentioned, he collaborated with Jordan Brand designers to develop different styles and themes for his signature lines.
Jayson Tatum’s wish was each shoe had a story to tell during his years while still grinding up to the ranks, his inspirations, and his son.
Four signature colorways will be released to the public: the Pink Lemonades, Barbershop, Zoo, and St. Louis.
As mentioned, each pair has a story to tell, highlighting some of Tatum’s fondest moments and inspirations.
Jordan Tatum 1 “Pink Lemonade”
During the All-Star game in Utah, many fans saw Jayson Tatum wearing a brightly-colored silhouette shoe.
Lo’ behold, this shoe he wore was the Pink Lemonade colorway. The story behind Pink Lemonade colorway is it’s Tatum’s favorite drink.
Most of the Pink Lemonades with his player exclusives when he was still waiting for his first signature line with the company.
If you’ve been following him even before his signature shoe was released, he constantly rocked Jordan 34s, 35s, and 37s with the Pink Lemonade colors.
Since then, the Pink Lemonade colorway has been incorporated into each shoe he wears.
Additionally, the Pink Lemonade lives up to its name; the shoe is mostly pink in color with sprinkles of lighter green and blue
Jordan Tatum 1 “St. Louis”
The St. Louis colorway is a nod to his hometown, St. Louis.
In April, the company released this colorway inspired by the St. Louis Cardinal uniforms, featuring a white, red, and baby blue arrangement.
In addition, etched on the tongue was “Archer Ave.”, the childhood street where he grew up. In April’s release, they also confirmed full-family sizes and grade school sizes.
The “Barbershop”
The barbershop colorway was an ode to his viral haircut video saying he is a “Top 5” whenever he gets a fresh haircut from his favorite barbershop. This pair was released in June along with the Pink Lemonade colorway.
Also, the barbershop colorway features mostly gray around the upper and heel areas, whereas black shades are sprinkled on the heel and along the shoelaces.
The barbershop is one of the most popular colorways in his lines because people can relate to his unwavering confidence, as demonstrated in the viral clip.
Jordan Tatum 1 “Zoo”
This colorway was inspired by the St. Louis Zoo and his son Deuce.
His son Deuce inspired the Zoo shoe colorway because he was fond of animals and their trips to the St. Louis Zoo.
After the NBA season, Tatum and Deuce would visit the zoo in St. Louis over the summer. Visiting the zoo was one of their ways to bond with each other while returning to his hometown.
In addition, even before the ‘Zoo’ colorway was introduced to his signature sneaker, he wore Jordan Brand sneakers with the ‘Welcome to the Zoo’ colorways.
The shoe’s design features black and red colors, with some small details associated with the zoo.
Conclusion
As a kid from St. Louis, Jayson Tatum vividly recalls the moment when he was still in grade school.
He would immediately be walking straight to the basketball shoe section and look at the signature sneakers of his favorite players.
Today, he has become one of the few players who already have their signature shoes early in their careers.
With each pair highlighting the chapters of his life, Jayson Tatum wants to connect with his fans worldwide. His shoes will serve as the bridge for it, drawing inspiration from his childhood days and with Deuce.
Nevertheless, the Jordan Tatum 1s are impeccably great in their own right. They are lightweight, responsive, and offer good traction.
With several inspirations behind every shoe, Jayson Tatum is a man of the people. He really means what he says and definitely wants to connect with his fans.