Giannis Antetokounmpo is two wins away from appearing in his first ever NBA Finals, and it’s possible that he’ll look to make the final push to get through the Eastern Conference Finals in a new look.
On Tuesday, hours before Antetokounmpo takes the floor for Game 4 in Atlanta, Nike unveiled the Zoom Freak 3, the third in his line of signature sneakers with the brand. Gone is the oversized Swoosh that dominated the visual of the first (facing backwards) and second sneaker, with the addition of a forefoot strap and a new cushioning system designed to withstand the stopping and leaping force of Giannis’ downhill game.
It’s a different look than the first two Zoom Freaks but is a familiar silhouette for fans of other Nike signatures. The forefoot strap is reminiscent of the one on the Kyrie 6 (or, going further back, the KD 7), and it keeps with the lowcut design that Giannis has always preferred, dating back to when he used to wear Kobes.
As for the performance aspect of the shoe, the biggest change is having two Zoom Air units supporting the ball of the foot (one shown clearly in the midfoot with the exposed Air in the midsole) in an effort to provide additional cushioning for a player who pushes downhill as much as Giannis, with aggressive stops, starts, and trying to explode to the hoop. The strap is meant to help secure the forefoot in place for additional stability to balance the cushioning in that area.
The first two colorways of the Zoom Freak 3 (black/purple and orange) will release in August in North America (July 1 globally).