Russell Westbrook is very particular with his sneakers. So particular, in fact, that he had Jordan Brand remake its latest signature shoe to better suit him. In a profile on the OKC Thunder point guard at the New York Times Magazine, the team's equipment manager relayed a story about the Air Jordan 31.
Apparently Westbrook wasn't feeling the level of flexibility offered by the sole, and asked for an updated version of the Air Jordan 31 using the sole of the Air Jordan 30. He got what he wanted too, and has been playing in a hybrid design since October. The equipment manager, Wilson Taylor, gives Russell Westbrook Shoes a different layer of cushioning by switching out the insoles by hand.
While it's pretty standard for NBA players to use custom insoles, it's another thing entirely for a player to request a remake of a new signature shoe like this.
The Air Jordan 30 and the Air Jordan 31 feature similar tech in their soles, using Flightspeed and Zoom Air cushioning. The designs on bottom are different though, with the 30's being decoupled while the New Jordan 31 has a flatter, more standard ride.
2017 Best Shoes:Air Jordan 31 'Chicago Bulls' Sneakerheads will likely agree that Jordan Brand has dropped the Air Jordan 31 in some of the cleanest colorways. Jordan Brand has added yet another installment to the ever-growing Air Jordan 31 line with this brand new Chicago Bulls-inspired rendition. As can be seen, the leather and woven uppers of the sneaker are predominantly clean White, topped off with Black-colored accents all over. Most noticeably, these include the dispersed pattern over the toe boxes and the large Jordan “Jumpman” logo on the sides. The Flywire, gradient midsoles and insole branding also feature hits of Red. Adding the finishing signature touch, Black-colored fading Nike “Swoosh” logos can also be spotted on the sides.
