Sneaker Spotlight: Lonnie Walker IV’s Adidas Harden, Vol. 3

Lonnie Walker is rocking a Southwest Division rival’s sneakers in his rookie quest through the workings of the NBA.

Every spotlight I’ve done so far on a Spurs player’s sneakers have, for the most part, been Nike-oriented. Heck, even my initial spotlight on Puma-sponsored forward Rudy Gay was on a pair of Nike Kyrie 4s he was rocking while Puma was busy tweaking their shoes to better suit him. Nike, Nike, Nike, but why?

Because, simply, I love Nike! It also helps that the Spurs’ big guns, DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge, are Nike and Jordan guys (Jordan brand is distributed by Nike). Even guys like Bryn Forbes, Derrick White, and Marco Belinelli are Nike guys.

A guy who ISN’T signed to Nike is the uber-athletic rookie guard out of Miami: Lonnie Walker IV. A smart kid blessed with hops, Walker missed a good portion of the early season after tearing his meniscus in the preseason but has slowly found himself in the G-League with the Austin Spurs. He hasjoined the Spurs for their Rodeo Road Trip this year, seeing big minutes for the first time in his career Wednesday night against the defending champion Warriors.

NBA: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors

Walker went 0/10 on Wednesday night and missed Thursday’s game against the Trail Blazers, but these are growing pains that are to be expected with a young player. The sneaker of choice while he finds his way through his rookie season? The Adidas Harden, Vol. 3, which Adidas describes as:

Game changed. MVP won. Inspired by James Harden’s gravity-defying handle, these shoes are built to create space from defenders and manipulate the court every time you touch the ball with his signature style. They’re designed with extra lockdown for side-to-side movement and control as you attack the basket with crossovers and step-backs. Returning energy on every Euro-step, they feature exceptional grip and traction to change directions on a dime.

Described as, “running shoe-like,” on WearTesters, the Harden 3 that Walker has been rocking has been the Collegiate Purple / Core Black / Hi-Res Aqua colorway. This colorway is available on Adidas’ website and retails for $140 before shipping.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I don’t really wear Adidas sneakers (although I love their shorts and other clothing). I’ve owned a few budget models, but have yet to take the plunge on a higher-end model. I very much doubt I will be buying anything with James Harden’s name on it anytime soon, but they’re a solid look on the young Spurswalker.