J.J. Watt Has a New Reebok Training Shoe — and it Is Inspired by NBA Icon Allen Iverson
For his latest shoe, NFL star J.J. Watt looked to a beloved Reebok signature sneaker from another legendary athlete for inspiration — even though he played another sport.
Before month’s end, Reebok will release the new signature training shoe for Watt, dubbed the JJ 4, which was create not only with the athlete in mind but also with insights from the fitness community. Aesthetically, Reebok and Watt paid homage to the debut signature sneaker of NBA legend Allen Iverson, the Question.
“Allen Iverson and Reebok were one of the most iconic athlete-brand duos I looked up to as a young athlete. The Question was everywhere, and its style is still instantly recognizable almost 25 years after it first debuted,” Watt said in a statement. “The goal of the JJ 4 is to take the iconic Question look from the past and apply it to the best piece of performance footwear in the present, creating the perfect shoe for athletes looking to write their own future.”
Built with performance in mind, the JJ 4 features Flexweave woven textile uppers to offer resilient stretch and targeted support, a webbing system made to contain the midfoot for an enhanced fit and fingerprint-inspired multidirectional flex grooves on the outsoles provides durability and traction. (The outsole is also inspired by Watt’s “desire to leave his mark on the game.”)
As a nod to Iverson’s shoe, the look features a Question-inspired toe cap design, and further tying it to Watt is his “Dream Big, Work Hard” motto on the laces.
The Reebok JJ 4 arrives on Sept. 23 via Reebok.com and at select U.S. retailers with a $100 price tag. However, Reebok Unlocked will be able to buy the shoe a day early on Sept. 22. and earn points that can be redeemed for special rewards.
Aside from the release of the shoe, Reebok said it, along with Watt, will donate pairs of the football player’s training shoes to the Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia — the city where Iverson became a pro hoops legend. For every pair of the JJ 4 sold on Reebok.com and any Reebok retail store stateside through Nov. 1, the brand said it will donate one pair of JJ 3s — up to $90,000 in retail value — to the organization.
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