Both Trae Young and Donovan Mitchell are two of the youngest and most prominent players in the NBA. Known for their superior skill on the court, their own interpretations of adidas Top Ten His gave us a closer look at their creativity for designing sneakers made for off the court.
The adidas Top Ten Hi made its debut way back in the late 70s. Considered a trendsetter in the sneaker world, the hi-top model was known for its luxe design (it was eventually viewed as a status symbol) and superior performance without having the name of any particular player attached to it. Worn by countless All-Star players and champions back in the day, the Top Ten Hi was quickly known as the sneaker that represented a wide array of versatile players. For that reason, the adidas Top Ten Hi was worn well into the next decade. Aside from getting play on the court, the streets soon enough adopted the high-top model as well as it began occupying the hip-hop space. It was the type of basketball shoe that that was also cool enough to be worn casually, everyone wanted a pair.
More than four decades after the initial debut of the adidas Top Ten Hi, Foot Locker and adidas teamed up with Trae Young and Donovan Mitchell to design and release their iterations of the Top Ten Hi. Last week we caught up with both players to talk about their respective Top Ten His. Here is what both had to say regarding the overall experience of designing a sneaker that represents who they are.
Question for both:
Kick on Fire: You and the adidas design team got together to create the overall look of your Top Ten Hi. The goal was to design a shoe that in a way represents your personality and character. Can you elaborate more on how your Top Ten Hi symbolizes who you are as a person and player? Why those colors, use of materials.
Donovan: For sure. As a player, I recognize the importance of the basics but I?m also very competitive and energetic while I?m on the floor. I think this shoe keeps it clean with the basics – navy blue, black and white but had to add some bright colors to bring the energy up. The colors I chose to represent my journey to the league: growing up on the east coast, going to Louisville then of course landing in Utah. I had to finish the outsole of the shoe off with ?DON? which really represents what I stand for throughout all aspects of my life ? Determination Over Negativity.
Trae: It?s been a great experience to come together and collaborate with the adidas design team to create this exclusive Top Ten Hi. You will see some unique details on the sneaker that represent me as a player, like my number 11 on the tongue, an ICEE-looking graphic sketched around the number and my ?Ice Trae? nickname printed across the outsole.
Questions for Trae:
Kicks on Fire: Trae, how was the overall experience of helping design a Top Ten Hi that suits your very own style off the court? What’s your favorite feature on the sneaker? With your signature shoe set to debut this Fall, how does it feel to be one of very few NBA players to have their signature line of sneakers? Was this a goal of yours when you entered the NBA?
Trae: I?m very humbled to be able to be a part of the adidas family and to collaborate with them on this design, and I?m excited to have my personal style reflected off the court with this sneaker. I?d have to say my favorite feature is the ability to bring in that fun ?Ice Trae? look that you saw on my PE last season to a lifestyle sneaker like the Top Ten Hi, which has that sleek silhouette. I?m looking forward to showing even more of my style later in the year.
Trae Young’s adidas Top Ten Hi is now available at Foot Locker.
Questions for Donovan:
Kicks on Fire: Donovan, with your very own signature line that already includes the D.O.N. Issue #1 and D.O.N. Issue #2, you’re no stranger to the sneaker game. That said, how was your experience helping design a shoe that’s meant for off-court rather than performance? With the Top Ten Hi being a model that’s filled with many panels and overlays, did you find it tough designing your sneaker to your exact style and taste?
Donovan: Designing an Originals shoe for off-court was a lot of fun. Especially one with basketball history going back to the ?70s and ?80s. I was able to channel my creativity to put together a shoe that is classic, can be worn by all ages but also pops to show my personality. Normally my main focus is performance so being able to come up with a versatile sneaker that I can just throw on with jeans or joggers was definitely a different and exciting experience. I wanted this shoe to transcend different looks and outfits but also to stand out and make a statement. That?s why I added the glow-in-the-dark sole and neon yellow piping. Looking forward to hopefully designing more sneakers in the lifestyle space for adidas, I have a lot of ideas! There?s just so much you can dream up and do to express yourself.
Donovan Mitchell’s adidas Top Ten Hi is now available at Foot Locker.
The post Interview: Trae Young & Donovan Mitchell Talk Their Own adidas Top Ten Hi, Channeling Their Creativity On The Design Process appeared first on KicksOnFire.com.
