Zion Williamson's Sneakers Get Strap for Extra Support

Zion Williamson is wearing a version of his signature Jordan Brand sneakers that fans cannot buy.

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On July 1, 2023, sneakerheads were treated to the first official look at the third signature sneaker of New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. In a stark departure from the first two iterations of Williamson's signature line, the Jordan Zion 3 took the form of a lightweight, low-cut silhouette.

Containing a player as big and powerful as Williamson is no easy task; accomplishing that feat in a minimalist model is nothing short of a technological breakthrough. No hoops fan can forget Williamson's infamous sneaker blowout that resulted in an injury during his freshman season with the Duke Blue Devils.

With the latest model, the Jordan Brand design team focused on creating a shoe that could support Williamson in three ways: containment, court feel, and impact protection. However, it appears Jumpman had to return to the drawing board to revise the Jordan Zion 3.

Jordan Zion 3

A detailed look at the Jordan Zion 3 / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past month, Williamson has worn a modified version of the shoe that features a forefoot strap for added support and stability. It is a sore subject in the sneaker community as some consumers bristle at the idea of players wearing game shoes that differ from what is sold to the public. 

But we like to see improvements to technology on the fly, and if adding a strap helps keep Williamson healthy, then it is a necessary move. Athletes and fans can purchase the general release version of the Jordan Zion 3 in multiple colorways on the Nike website.

We are not even halfway through the 2023-24 NBA season, and Williamson has already played in the second-most regular season games of his career. With a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work, Williamson's promising career and sneaker line can still reach the lofty expectations placed upon them when he was drafted first in the 2019 NBA Draft.

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