Of course, we can’t forget about the sneakers we saw in the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.
Throughout the 2024 NBA Finals series, both the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks didn’t hesitate to sport their best sneakers throughout the five-game series. From signature line teasers, to team models, or even throwbacks, these guys had just about everything.
We’ve listed down some pairs that they wore in the chase for championship glory. See any standout kicks on this list?
Boston Celtics:
Payton Pritchard
One of Payton Pritchard’s NBA Finals sneakers was the “Italian Camo” Kobe 6 Protros. Originally released in 2011, the colorway pays tribute to Kobe’s formative years in Italy and was inspired by Italian scenery as well as the country’s military fatigues.
Jrue Holiday
In the grandest stage of them all, Jrue Holiday went back to the basics. Instead of pulling out some Kobe Protros or Sabrina 1s, one of Jrue’s sneakers for the NBA Finals was the Nike GT Cut 3 in Celtics team colors.
It’s been six seasons since the NBA relaxed their sneaker regulations to allow increased player expression. With players taking advantage of this rule, it was surprising to see someone in-game with team-colored sneakers.
Jayson Tatum
Without question, the Pink Lemonades are a special colorway for Jayson Tatum. The colorway was first spotted in the 2023 All-Star game, wherein JT debuted the Tatum 1s en route to an All-Star MVP performance with his 55-point outing.
A year later, the Pink Lemonades would return for the Tatum 2s. Only this time, they were on Tatum’s feet as they took Game 2 over the Mavericks, effectively making it a part of his NBA championship journey.
Kristaps Porzingis
Last for the Celtics is Kristaps Porzingis, who opted for an all-white Adidas BYW (Boost You Wear) Select as his NBA Finals sneaker of choice. It’s no flashy colorway, but it perfectly complements their jerseys, just like how Kristaps himself is a good fit for this Celtic team.
Dallas Mavericks:
Kyrie Irving
The Chief Hélà Kai 1s are a tribute to Kyrie Irving’s Native American roots and are arguably one of the most eye-catching kicks. First seen in the Conference Finals, Kyrie wore the moccasin-like sneakers throughout the NBA Finals against Boston.
These also resemble the Nike Kyrie 8s that Kyrie wore for the 2023 All-Star Game in Utah. Who knows? Maybe these Kai 1s are the “official” versions for that customized pair.
Dereck Lively II
Despite being a big man, Dereck Lively II opted to rock some “Court Purple” Kobe 8 Protros — made for a shooting guard — against the Celtics. A “new” colorway in the Kobe Protro line, the Court Purple is a tribute to Kobe’s career with the Los Angeles Lakers, which is expressed through the purple accents and his two retired jersey numbers 8 and 24.
Luka Doncic
Compared to the “Midnight Racer” colorway he debuted last month, here’s Luka Doncic in a more subtle pair of Jordan Luka 3s in a Finals media availability session.
Notably, this pair features Tinker Hatfield’s legendary elephant print that was first seen on the Air Jordan 3s in 1988. Chances are, this could be Luka’s second tribute to the legendary designer following the “Safari” Luka 1s last year.
PJ Washington
From the looks of it, PJ Washington’s KD 16s are a custom colorway. What caught our attention though, were the hot pink and green accents which remind us of Patrick Star for these NBA Finals sneakers.
Come to think of it, maybe PJ just wanted to let his inner child out through a pair of customized kicks, right?
Banner Images from NBA Kicks on X and Instagram.
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