The Jordan Super.Fly 2017 Was Designed For Athletes Like Blake Griffin

On April 22, the Los Angeles Clippers announced that its star power forward, Blake Griffin, would be missing the remainder of the 2017 NBA Playoffs with an injury to the plantar plate of his right big toe. Griffin, who averaged 21.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists during the regular season, hurt his toe on a routine drive to the basket. The 28-year-old, 5x NBA All-Star, has suffered nearly ten injuries — ranging from back spasms, a torn left quad, to surgery on his right knee — in just seven seasons. Nike, the parent company to Jordan Brand, which Griffin endorses, is looking to aid players like Griffin from suffering injuries while on the court.

Today, Jordan Brand introduces the Jordan Super.Fly 2017, an innovative sneaker the company hopes will be “the ultimate tool for the versatile basketball player and their requirement of balanced footwork.” In a press release, the brand explained that its design team used pressure maps from the Nike Sport Research Lab to pinpoint four critical pressure points that dictated the shoe’s multidirectional traction pattern. The Super.Fly 2017 also utilizes new Nike React foam to provide optimal cushioning for the most athletic players. Overall, Griffin’s needs were accounted for in the shoe’s final design.

“Through the course of the season, you need a shoe that helps keep your feet fresh and takes a bit of the load off all that jumping,” said Griffin. “I need a shoe that’s able to bounce back with me and give me a little bit of help —- one that cushions and supports at the same time… Right away you notice the responsiveness of Nike React. Whatever move you make, it goes along with you.”

Check out the Super.Fly 2017 sneakers above and look for it to hit stores on August 3. You can also watch Blake talk about the sneakers on nike.com.