Why Temi Fagbenle and Isaiah Stewart Switched to Basketball Shoes by This Barefoot Brand
The basketball shoe market now has another player.
Before month’s end, barefoot brand Xero Shoes will release its first-ever basketball silhouette, the X1. It will debut in both a low- and mid-cut.
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Though Xero Shoes has just revealed the look, the shoe should look familiar to hoops fans. Isaiah Stewart of the Detroit Pistons, who is the latest NBA athlete to sign with the brand, wears the X1 on the court, and WNBA star Temi Fagbenle wore it during the 2024 season with the Indiana Fever. Also, Justin Holiday wore the X1 during the 2024 NBA Playoffs as a member of the Denver Nuggets.
“I feel like I’m gaining a lot by switching from a standard basketball shoe,” Stewart said in a statement. “I feel very grounded. I play with a lot of force, strength and power and the Xero Shoes X1 allow me to function as the human body should.”
Xero Shoes explained it brought its natural movement DNA to the court with the X1, including its foot-shaped toe box for both balance and stability and a zero-drop for natural posture and a efficient push-off. The lightweight look, which also keeps the foot close to the court for quick cuts and pivots, also features a protective foam underfoot.
What’s more, Xero Shoes used data from thousands of 3D foot scans for the women’s-specific version of the shoe to ensure their unique foot geometry of a woman’s foot was catered to.
“I’ve been wearing Xero Shoes on and off the court. My feet and ankles feel indestructible,” Fagbenle said in a statement.
Xero Shoes X1 Low and Mid will retail for $160 and $170, respectively, and arrive on March 26 via Xeroshoes.com. It will debut in both women’s and men’s sizing, and arrive in three colorways: White, Black and Sunny Lime.
“For years, athletes and trainers asked us for basketball shoes after seeing the benefits of barefoot training off the court,” Xero Shoes vice president of product development John Wadley said in a statement. “Xero Shoes is not just stepping into the world of basketball, we are making a bold statement to evolve the sport by embracing footwear that enhances natural movement. Our goal is to give players more healthy games in a season and more seasons in a career.”
Though the category has long been dominated by Nike and Jordan Brand, Xero Shoes is just the latest in a wave of athletic companies eager to earn market share. Puma and New Balance, for instance, have somewhat recently made inroads in basketball, and Chinese brands Anta, Li-Ning and 361 Degrees have also earned fans stateside.
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