Paolo Banchero's Sneakers Honor His Grandmother Sheila

Paolo Banchero wore Luka Doncic's Jordan Brand sneakers in a meaningful colorway.
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The best weekend of basketball tipped off last night with the NBA Celebrity Game and the Rising Stars Tournament. While every sneaker brand tries to move the needle with consumers through flashy footwear, one player stood out in the crowded field.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero debuted a flashy colorway of Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic's second signature sneaker. Banchero is a Jordan Brand athlete who has shown an affinity for the Jordan Luka 2, and his hoop shoes from last night are some of his best work yet.

Paolo Banchero dunks the ball during the NBA Rising Stars semifinal game.
Paolo Banchero in the Jordan Luka 2 / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Banchero got the fans going by throwing down a reverse dunk early in the game. He also electrified the sneaker community with a never-before-seen colorway of the Jordan Luka 2.

Banchero's player-exclusive colorway of the Jordan Luka 2 pays homage to his grandmother, Sheila. The matriarch of the family often arrived at his basketball games wearing bedazzled outfits with loud patterns, statement jewelry, and long red nails. 

The shoes sported a blend of purple, green, and black. But the best part of all was the back heels, which read, "OH SHEILA" as a nod to her license plate. This colorway will not be released to the public, but online shoppers can purchase Doncic's sneakers on the Nike website.

Jordan Brand and Banchero are far from finished this weekend. The Magic forward will play in his first NBA All-Star Game this weekend, while Jordan Brand has players competing in all of this weekend's events. Stay locked into FanNationKicks.com for all your footwear news.

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Published
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.