Tony Wroten was primed for an intriguing season from a Kicks On Court standpoint. After finishing his tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies last season by wearing various retro Jordans and vintage Nike Basketball notables in limited playing time, the 6’4″ guard signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in the offseason. With this move, two things would immediately help Wroten’s case for the 2014 Kicks On Court Champion award before he even stepped foot on the court: more playing time to showcase his on-court rotation and new team colors that match a wider array of sneakers.
Wroten set the tone early by opening up the 2013-2014 NBA season in a customized Air Jordan 12 by Mache. He also brought out the 11-year-old Nike Air Foamposite Pro Red/Black, the Air Jordan 5 3Lab5 and took to the court in the “French Blue” Air Jordan – in addition to many other retro Jordans – in the first month of the season.
“I feel like if I look good, then I play good,” says Wroten. “I’m a big believer in that, and I also hate wearing the same shoe twice, so that’s why I constantly switched it up.”
Not only did he not repeat shoes often, but he also made it a point to wear Air Jordans that we rarely see on court. Silhouettes, such as the Air Jordan XVIII, the Air Jordan XIX and the Air Jordan XX1 returned to the hardwood, regularly, thanks to Philadelphia’s southpaw.
“Tony Wroten wears some extreme heat on court, man” says Phoenix Suns forward and fellow Kicks On Court Champion nominee P.J. Tucker. “I really like seeing what Tony wears because he brings a lot of the older models you rarely see to the court and he always comes with something different.”
Nick Young echoes Tucker’s sentiment: “I really think Tony Wroten came with some pure heat that you don’t see a lot.”
After the first month of the season, Wroten was undoubtedly the favorite to win the 2014 Kicks On Court Champion award, considering he made big impressions in all five categories: NIKEiD/PE/Custom, Element of Surprise, Closet Appeal, Variety and Sneaker Debuts. Check out his full Kicks On Court resume, and let us know if he is still the favorite.
NIKEiD/PE/Custom
Top NIKEiD/PE Wears:
1. Air Jordan 4 Custom by Mache
2. Air Jordan 12 Custom by Mache
3. Nike Zoom Crusader “Black History Month”
4. Air Jordan 10 “76ers” Custom by Mache
We knew customs would be a big trend this season seeing after Kicks On Court regulars like Nate Robinson and Iman Shumpert began wearing them towards the end of the 2012-2013 NBA season. This year, Tony Wroten made the biggest splash, custom-wise, by wearing three custom-designed Air Jordans created by Mache on court. He opened the season in a blue and red customized Air Jordan 12 and laced up a nice red, white and blue custom Air Jordan 4 during the first half of the season. He also brought out an Air Jordan 10 “76ers” custom on the same night Philadelphia honored 11-time All-Star Allen Iverson with a jersey retirement.
