Jordan Brand and Zion Williamson Announce the Zion 2
third season in the didn't go how he'd planned – in fact, it didn't go at all. The high-flying forward missed the entire 2021-22 campaign after surgery on his fractured foot, but he's ready to return in All-Star form next season and are accompanying him on the comeback trail with the official reveal of his .
Williamson's second signature shoe with Jordan Brand after 2021's , the Zion 2 is engineered to meet the unique demands of his high-flying game. Williamson stands at 6'6 and weighs in at close to 300 pounds, so he's got the body of an offensive lineman – but the leaping ability of an Olympic long jumper. To allot for his unique play style, the Zion 2 is lightweight and split into three key areas: an impact-resistant heel, a lockdown-focused midfoot and a mobility-geared forefoot.
The major technical innovation on display here is a new decoupled strobel, the piece that's placed directly under the insole and separates it from the midsole. Nike and Jordan Brand have been crafting the strobel out of Zoom Air in recent basketball shoes, and that continues on the Zion 2, but here it's decoupled instead of presented as one solid piece. This enables its cushion to be focused on the heel, while it also beefs up the explosiveness and responsiveness of the forefoot. To hold this high-tech apparatus together, the Zion 2 also features a cup sole that reaches up high on the foot and a forefoot strap for extra support.
From a looks standpoint, the Zion 2 draws inspiration from throwback 1980s and 1990s silhouettes. Jordan Brand also says that the Zion 2's design details are inspired by his motto: 'Nobody built like you, you design yourself.' A new logo has also been debuted, replacing the ZW graphic that was seen on past models.
The Jordan Zion 2 will debut in a 'Voodoo' colourway June 22, then release in a 'Hope Diamond' colourway June 30. More pairs are set to roll out over the course of 2022 as well.