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Jordan Brand Unveils Russell Westbrook's Why Not? Zer0.3 Signature Sneaker

Jordan Brand officially unveiled Russell Westbrook's third signature sneaker, the Why Not? Zer0.3.

Jordan Brand officially unveiled Russell Westbrook’s latest signature sneaker, the Jordan Why Not? Zer0.3. The sneaker offers an evolution of Westbrook’s previous model.

The sneaker offers an all-new articulated Nike Zoom Air cushioning system and is the lightest shoe in Russell’s signature line.

Each colorway of the Jordan WNZ.3 has a special meaning to Westbrook.

Jordan “Why Not?” Zer0.3 “Zer0 Noise”

The launch colorway represents Russell’s desire to inspire people to block out any unnecessary noise and play the game their own way.

Jordan “Why Not?” Zer0.3 “The Family”

“The Family” colorway celebrates Russell’s family, who he always wants to honor and put first.

Jordan “Why Not?” Zer0.3 “Heartbeat”

Russ and his wife Nina recently welcomed twin girls who are now the heartbeat of his life. The Heartbeat colorway features colors inspired by his twin girls' bedroom.

Sports Illustrated had the opportunity to chat with David Cin, Sr. Design Director for Jordan Performance Footwear about Westbrook’s new sneaker.

via Jordan Brand

via Jordan Brand

JH: How was it like working with Russell on the “Why Not?” Zer0.3? How much input did he give during the process?

DC: Working with Russell is always a great experience. He’s unique in that one night he may be completing his third triple-double in a row, and the next day he’s using his creativity and innate sense of style to help design his shoes and apparel line. It’s important to have him involved in every step of product creation, providing personal insight throughout the process.

JH: What was the main inspiration behind the design?

DC: The main inspiration behind the shoe’s design is Russell’s unmatched persona on the court. It was Russell’s idea to create a visual language that matched his style of play, which is why the Why Not Zer0.3 features sharp lines and angular features. From a performance standpoint specifically, Russell plays the game with end-to-end speed, so we wanted to create a Zoom Air bag that would help with linear speed.

JH: What can we expect with colorways/themes this season?

DC: Each colorway has a special meaning to Russell and represents how he channels different areas of his life to block out the noise. The lead colorway, Zer0 Noise, highlights Russell’s desire to inspire athletes to block out unnecessary distraction and play the game in their own way.

JH: The Why Not ZERO.2 performed really well on the court and it was accepted by the sneaker community as one of the best last season. How much pressure did you guys face while working on this one?

DC: We were thrilled with the performance of the Why Not Zer0.2 and the praise it received from the sneaker community—it inspired us to push even further to deliver the next evolution of the Why Not? Zer0 signature line.

JH: What is the balance like when working with such an iconic style figure like Russell. Is there more thought on aesthetic? Is it performance?

DC: Russell has a sharp eye for detail both in style and the game itself. He’s able to discern very slight tweaks to prototypes he’s testing and whether something like a label needs to be loose or stitched down. To really speak to Russell’s personality, we had to ensure his bold sense of style came to life throughout the design.