With the inaugural World Basketball Festival taking place in New York City this week, there’s been a myriad of basketball personalities in town taking in the scene. Jordan Brand teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul made their first stop in the Big Apple at Harlem’s House of Hoops by Foot Locker location.
CounterKicks asked the duo about their favorite sneakers growing up, what Dwyane thinks of the difference between running with Converse and Jordan Brand, a potential D-Wade signature shoe, and thoughts from Chris Paul on his signature shoe designer leaving Jordan Brand and who will take over the CP3 line. Continue reading to see how CounterKicks went 1 on 2 with D-Wade and CP3 and talked about their “Love of the Game”…
CounterKicks: What were your favorite Jordans growing up?
Dwyane Wade: Hmm. Good question.
Chris Paul: I’d say the XIIIs.
Wade: XIIIs was your favorite?
Paul: I’d have to say because I had them for one day and someone stole them. I didn’t get another pair until last year. Then the III’s, the IX’s.
Wade: I’d say the XIs because I could never get them. Still to this day, they’re a hot commodity. [MJ] just transcended the game with those shoes. In a way, it was the first on-the-court, off-the-court shoe. That’s why they were my favorite.
Paul: That patent leather set it off.
CK: Dwyane, you were on Converse for six years. What’s the difference between the Converse team and the Jordan team?
Wade: I had a great relationship with Converse my six years there. Jordan’s just a better fit for me. We’re like a family. Converse had a great heritage, but this is my family. Before I even came to the Jordan Brand, that’s what it felt like: family. [said with Wade’s two sons sitting on his lap]
CK: Dwyane, you just finished your first season with Jordan Brand. Are there plans for a signature shoe under the Jordan umbrella?
Wade: Right now, we’re just taking it one step at a time. If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.
CK: Can you give a hint on what you’ll be wearing in 2010-2011?
Wade: As you know we had a big summer this year (laughs), so we’re still playing around with some things. As the brand likes to do, we like to keep people kind of guessing. We’ll keep people guessing for a while.
CK: CP, what do you think of the designer of your line, Jason Mayden, stepping away and going to graduate school?
Paul: Man, I think it’s one of the toughest things I’ve had to endure because not only is Jason the best guy for me but we were really close. Jason was someone I always talked to about everything. The thing that made Jason’s designs so special was his ability to dream, to think outside the box. I’m so excited for him going back to school. Whatever’s going to make him happy, I’m all for it.
CK: So now that Jason’s gone, who’s taking over the reins of designing your line?
Paul: Justin Taylor [current lead designer for Carmelo Anthony’s line]. We’ve met and stuff, we’ve talked and he knows a lot of my ideas. It’ll all work out. But I’ll let Jason finish up his school stuff, then he’s got to come back.
CK: Do you guys have any rituals to break in a pair of sneakers on game day or do you just take them out of the box and go?
Wade: I’m a take them out the box and go person.
Paul: Yea me too. It’s amazing when I think about it because when I was a kid, I had one pair of sneakers for 365 days out of the year. Now we get to wear a new pair every game, so my ritual is to just lace them up.
CK: Both you guys are obviously into fashion, what kind of shoes do you like to wear when your walking to the locker room in a suit.
Paul: I ONLY WEAR JORDANS.
Wade: (laughs) Ditto.
