Sabrina Ionescu succeeded in collaborating with Nike to create its very first signature shoe. Sabrina 1, which will soon have a sequel with Sabrina 2 expected at the end of June, “is not a women's or men's basketball shoe, it is simply a basketball shoe.”
This is how a good number of NBA players opted for the first signature model of the New York Liberty shooter, whose popularity has increased further since her face-to-face with Stephen Curry during the last All-Star Week -end. During the 2023-2024 season, nearly 80 NBA players wore the Sabrina 1 at least once.
The leader of the C's as a precursor
Jrue Holiday acted as an ambassador by wearing the pair on the Celtics' Opening Night, then repeating the operation around sixty times until last night, where he again wore a “Player Exclusive” version of Sabrina 1 for Game 2 between Boston and Indiana.
“I didn’t even watch the game. Really, I was just looking at his feet.”, remembered Sabrina Ionescu when she first saw Jrue Holiday wearing her model in an NBA game.
For the player, it is a tremendous spotlight, but above all it is confirmation that she was right in the design of her shoe in order to appeal to as many profiles as possible, including the league's superstars. like Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton and Cade Cunningham.
“The WNBA will experience its greatest success ever in this upcoming season” recalls Tyrese Haliburton, who sponsors a program for young girls in Wisconsin, where he is from. “I think as allies of these players and the league in general, we should do our part to show them love where we can. I can't remember the last time a player's shoe fame broke out like this. »
Kobe DNA
For the Sabrina 2, Sabrina Ionescu kept the DNA of the Sabrina 1, between the design close to the first Kobe but also a balance between comfort and dynamism.
“I think what was very important for me was to analyze what could help me on the ground”she confided. “I played with Kobes professionally, but in college I played with Hyperdunks, and I wore almost every signature model. So I really shared my needs from a performance point of view. Having the freedom to create what I wanted in a performance shoe was really the most exciting part.”
The general public was there and the NBA players were no exception to the rule.
“The silhouette and the feeling they give, it's a bit reminiscent of an old Kobe. They are very comfortable. The design is pretty »summarized Jordan Clarkson, who for his part took advantage of the “Nike By You” program to customize around fifteen pairs according to his wishes.
The Jazz leader also spoke about the bond he would be able to create with his daughter thanks to this type of initiative. It's a bit of the same idea that motivated Jrue Holiday, always supportive when it comes to making the connection between the women's and men's worlds of professional sport, his wife Lauren Holiday, a former footballer, having won the world championship with the United States. in 2015. The Sabrina 1 is thus a link to participate in this rapprochement.
“They remind me of Kobes, but at the same time, they have their own thing”for his part slipped Dereck Lively II, the Mavericks rookie. “It's funny when people ask me, 'Why are you wearing girls' shoes?' I say, 'Why wouldn't I?'
