Jalen Williams Debuts Adidas Harden Vol 9 'Ring Ceremony' on NBA Opening Night

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After a long and festive summer, the wait is over for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tonight, the organization held a ring ceremony followed by the unveiling of its first NBA Championship banner (since relocating to Oklahoma City).
For just one night, the defending champions will take the court in white and gold warmups as a final celebration of last year's title run. Despite being ruled out due to his hand injury, the Thunder forward Jalen Williams is using the opportunity to match with his adidas basketball shoes.

Williams debuted the adidas Harden Vol 9 in a player-exclusive colorway in celebration of the 2025 NBA Finals victory.
The 'Ring Night' colorway sports a mismatched white and gold design on the upper. Even better, adidas spared no expense with the details.

Incredible details on the shoe include the "JDUB" signature logo on the tongue, a secondary logo featuring a hand with Williams' jersey No. 8 printed on the pull tab, and the Larry O'Brien Trophy on the outsole.
Williams has established himself as the second in command for LA Clippers guard (and former Thunder guard) James Harden's signature sneaker line.

Last year, Williams debuted his first player-exclusive "J-Dub" colorway of the adidas Harden Vol 9. Adidas released the colorway, and it sold out quickly, as it was easily the best version of the model. After the season, adidas sent Williams to China for his first-ever international sneaker tour.
The adidas Harden Vol 9 was made for fashion-forward hoopers who embody swag, confidence, and self-expression. The silhouette is a symbol for how Harden has always done things his way, and now it's time for rising basketball stars to carry the torch.

Tech specs for the adidas Harden Vol 9 include a full-length Lightboost midsole, grid-mesh ventilation openings for breathability, and a fragmented radial traction pattern on the outsole. Online shoppers can choose from several general-release colorways at adidas.com.
Last week, we spoke with Williams in an exclusive interview about his rapid ascension in the footwear and fashion industries. The NBA All-Star spoke candidly about his inspirations and authentic personality.

Williams has been an adidas athlete since entering the NBA, but does not yet have his own signature sneaker line. If he continues to play at an All-Star level, that could come sooner rather than later for the NBA Champion.
Oklahoma City's title defense begins tonight, and Williams is already off on the right foot thanks to adidas. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from the NBA and beyond.
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Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. As a leading voice in footwear journalism, he breaks news, spotlights important stories, and interviews the biggest names in sports. Previously, Pat has reported on the NBA and authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)." You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.
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