Nike Players Designed Their Own Sneakers for NBA Opening Week

With the 2018-19 NBA regular season set to kick off this week, Nike is making sure some its younger crop of stars will be laced in special pairs for the occasion. Back in September, Nike allowed nine rookies and sophomores in the NBA and WNBA to design special Nike iD colorways of signatures like the PG 2, KD 11, Kyrie 4, Kyrie Low, and Kobe A.D..

Colin Sexton, De'Aaron Fox, Frank Ntilikina, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Bell, Luka Dončić, Kelsey Mitchell, and Kelsey Plum all used unique inspirations to personalize their pairs. Given the league's more relaxed footwear policy being put in place for this season, most of the outcomes don't even match the uniforms of each respective player's team.

"I think it’s dope that the League is letting us wear different colorways this year," Golden State Warriors power forward Jordan Bell told Nike. "For me, it’s like the NFL giving their own players freedom to celebrate. Players can let their style and swag show while also telling a chapter of their story with each pair of shoes."

Take a look at all of the pairs below. They are all currently available on Nike iD as well ranging from $130-$170.

Player: Colin Sexton

Cleveland Cavaliers rookie point guard Colin Sexton chose to design a Kyrie 4. The multicolored "Be Different" colorways is inspired by his parents encouraging him to find his own path. Special details include each of his parent's initials on the tongue tags, and his jersey number "2" stamped on each heel.

Player: De'Aaron Fox

Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox fused his fandom for his hometown Houston Astros with his interest in the solar system. The result is a navy blue upper with red accents. The initials of his son Kai appear on the tongue.

Player: Frank Ntilikina

Frank Ntilikina took inspiration from his home country of France. The second year Knicks point guard outfitted a KD 11 with a blue Flyknit upper, white overlays, and red accents. "FP" and "MOAM" are printed on each heel alongside his jersey number "11" to represent his nickname "Fresh Prince" and the phrase "Man on a Mission," respectively.

Player: Jayson Tatum

One of the best young players in the league, Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum has created a multicolored PG 2 he feels would be how a pair designed by his 10-month old son Jayson Tatum Jr. would turn out. His initial's are seen on the inner tongue.

Player: Jordan Bell

Jordan Bell chose to create a royal blue, gold, and white pair of the PG 2 that resembles the colors of his Golden State Warriors. The colors also represent his hometown of Long Beach, Calif. The special detail on Bell's pair is his birth year of "1995" on the heel tab.

Player: Kyle Kuzma

Kyle Kuzma kept his pair simple by covering a Kobe A.D. in a purple, gold, and black color scheme that perfectly matches the jerseys of the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers. "Kuzz" is written on the right heel in white.

Player: Luka Dončić

The highly-touted Slovenian rookie for the Dallas Mavericks remixed a Kyrie Low with a blue and green colorway reminiscent of he Mavs' jerseys from the '90s. Special hits include his number "77" stitched on the inside tongue, and a glow-in-the-dark outsole.

Player: Kelsey Mitchell

One of two WNBA players who got to design their own PE, Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever was inspired by an outdoor court she used to play at while attending Ohio State known as "The Cages." The court was green with red lines and a black midcourt area, hence the green upper, red Swoosh, and black details.

Player: Kelsey Plum

Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum chose to honor her Turkish team she plays for in the offseason. It features a blue leather and grey mesh upper, yellow branding, gum bottoms, and her initials on the tongue tab.