HOW DO you design a shoe for Zion Williamson? His once-a-generation combination of size and athleticism makes it tough, but the folks at Jordan Brand have taken on the challenge with the release of the Zion 1.
At first glance, the shoe doesn’t look all that special. Don’t get me wrong: It’s not terrible and is definitely not the worst design of a debut signature sneaker. But it is not going to blow people away. The Zion 1 is not going to be an instant street classic, with a look that is probably only suited for the basketball court.

How it feels on the foot
Styling cues aside, the shoe truly looks and feels like a well-designed tool for basketball. Without even wearing it, I immediately felt its lightness — a welcome surprise from a shoe designed for a big man.
It’s about 31 grams lighter than my old Nike LeBron Soldier 9’s, which is one of the shoes I would compare the Zion 1 to in terms of design intent (with both Zion and LeBron being super athletic players who are also built like tanks).
I also immediately noticed the widened part around the forefoot/midfoot area which, as someone who has suffered from plenty of rolled ankles, is something I appreciate a lot. And for that same reason, I’m glad they didn’t make this a low cut shoe. That could be a deal breaker for people like me who are used to playing in shoes designed for frontcourt personnel.

A word about materials
The materials used in the Zion 1 are not what I would call premium. I would have actually preferred less mesh. This would certainly be more noticeable if you have the vanilla Gen Zion colorway (I got the ZNA colorway, which I think is a lot better).
But if you’re worrying about how these synthetic materials will hold up, remember that this was built for Zion who has a history of sneaker destruction, so I’m pretty confident us average ballers won’t be having any problems with it.
Besides, all the talk about the choice of materials became moot once I put a pair on. The fit is SNUG. This reinforces the notion that the shoe was made with more than enough support for big guys who like to move around the court. The padding around the ankle collar is on the thicker side and feels outstanding though this might be an issue if you play with any type of bulky ankle support. And remember the mesh that I didn’t like? Well there’s a reason it’s there — and my feet thank the designers at Jordan Brand for letting them breathe.
The superhero inspired tongue is going to be divisive but I personally dig it. It’s thin at parts and padded in some areas and I found that whatever padding it did have was enough to stop the laces from digging into the top of my feet.

Cushioning is its best feature
The cushioning might be the best feature of the Zion 1. That full Air Strobel unit is a little piece of heaven. It’s not pillowy soft but it’s definitely a few notches more comfortable than your average basketball sneaker.
It’s a shame that how the shoe looks will probably prevent it from entering my daily rotation of sneakers (at least once we’re free of Covid) because I would definitely not complain if I had to walk in Zion 1’s for an entire day. I really didn’t notice any benefit from the Zoom Air at the forefoot — but then again, that’s my amateur feet talking. People who can actually dunk might argue differently.
Finally, that extended fore/midfoot really felt effective in terms of giving me a solid base to play on. I suspect that ankle sprains won’t be as common in these. Lateral movements felt steady and planted so you can definitely take more confident steps with the Zion 1’s.

The final word
Zion’s first signature sneaker is a really solid basketball shoe. While I would have wanted a more street-friendly style and a more premium feel (which can probably be addressed in future colorways), the performance is one of the best I’ve experienced.
For players who love wearing big man shoes, I would highly recommend this as it gives that same feel without being as cumbersome to wear. And while the Zion 1 should work best for power forwards who also like to run and move around the court, I see it adapting easily to almost any style of play outside of the most agile point guards. It’s not a perfect shoe but as the debut sneaker of one of the game’s youngest stars, it certainly does not disappoint.
The Jordan Brand Zion 1 is available at Nike PH for P6,445.
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