Jayson Tatum has arguably some of the best player exclusive (PE) shoes in the NBA. His latest, however, had a bit more flavor than others.
The Boston Celtics star wore a coffee-themed PE of his Jordan Tatum 2 signature shoe on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. The look was designed by Ian Williams, founder of Deadstock Coffee in Portland, Ore., a sneaker-themed coffee shop.
Prior to opening Deadstock Coffee, Williams worked in the footwear industry, specifically as a shoe developer at Nike.
The look is predominantly white with mocha hits throughout, including on the sections of elephant print on the upper. The mocha hue is also used on the collar, as well as the “JT” and Deadstock Coffee logos on the tongues. To make sure the shoe represented the sneaker community in the Chinatown section of Portland, Williams included “4th and Couch,” the intersection where Deadstock Coffee is located.
“I had always said that we truly embody the ‘Mocha’ colorway as a coffee shop completely inspired by sneakers,” Williams told FN. “Lately I’ve also been very vocal about looking to do more creative stuff in the footwear world again. I got approached by the Brand Jordan team to throw a few ideas out there, and this one was just a hit from the jump.”
This PE isn’t Williams’ lone hit sneaker. He was behind the “Wet Floor” Dunk during his Nike days and teamed up with Adidas to create a collaborative ZX 5000 sneaker with Deadstock Coffee.
This Jordan Tatum 2 PE, however, is special.
“I was thinking yesterday about the opportunities I’ve had over the years and I’m really proud of this one,” Williams said. “All of those opportunities have come from people who I really care about and respect making a path for me to express myself in this sneaker world. This one hits different though because I really love basketball — and it was also bred from a community-based conversation. When I was a young homie I knew every sneaker in Eastbay and at Footaction, but player exclusives were like unicorns that we’d never be able to find. Only seen on TV, and now we are part of one of those stories. I’m beyond thankful for the people who made this happen.”
Although Williams is a business owner now, and left Nike in 2014, he believes there will be a time when he returns to the footwear industry.
“I’d love to get back in the game,” Williams said. “When I quit [Nike], I always assumed I wouldn’t be able to stay away and that I’d go back one day. In my heart, I feel like the time is coming.”
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
