Best Foot Forward: The Jordan Super.Fly 2017

The Jordan Super.Fly 2017 featuring Nike React is the ultimate tool for the versatile basketball player and their requirement of balanced footwork.

“Every basketball player relies on footwork. Our shoes need to be effective for all moves on the court,” says Jordan VP of Design, David Creech. “The physical realities of the game drive our pursuit of innovation. When this is combined with the soul of the brand, the Jordan DNA, we create the future of the sport — a blend of our heritage and our unwavering obsession with basketball.”

Supporting the sport’s diversity of movement starts with an assessment of traction needs. For the Jordan Super.Fly 2017, the design team employed pressure maps from the Nike Sport Research Lab to pinpoint four critical pressure points that informed the shoe’s multidirectional traction pattern. Whether it's a spin move, crossover or jump stop, the Super.Fly 2017 checks all the boxes through an athlete-informed geometry on the outsole.

The moves described are part and parcel of Jordan Brand athlete Blake Griffin’s explosive game. Analysis of Griffin’s needs informs the overall design of the Super.Fly 2017, which yields the ideal balance of comfort and response. Facilitating that equilibrium is a full-length Nike React core, simultaneously cushioning and offering energy return in one lightweight package. A shank plate between the Nike React foam and the outsole adds rigidity and manages torque.

“Through the course of the season, you need a shoe that helps keep your feet fresh and takes a bit of the load off all that jumping,” says Griffin. “I need a shoe that’s able to bounce back with me and give me a little bit of help — one that cushions and supports at the same time.”

By utilizing Nike React foam, the Super.Fly 2017 optimizes cushioning across every footfall, whether a lateral cut to the hoop or a full sprint to a breakaway dunk. “Right away you notice the responsiveness of Nike React,” says Griffin. “Whatever move you make, it goes along with you.”

Comfort and response are also key characteristics of the form-fitting, one-piece upper. Allowing for a natural fit, regardless of lace tightness, this method of construction supports multiple athlete preferences and harnesses explosiveness. Nods to Jordan DNA, through graphic hits that pay homage to the Air Jordan IV and XI, complete the design.

“Our work is in crafting a beautiful silhouette and embellishing it with the right graphic touches. With the Super.Fly 2017, we continue one of the core tenants of Jordan design: A smooth toe piece. Additionally, the script on the medial ankle reminds of our legacy in Flight,” notes Creech.

The Jordan Super.Fly 2017 is available globally August 3. 

About Nike React

Nike React is part of Nike’s cushioning revolution, redefining what’s possible with foam and other cushioning platforms — such as Nike Air VaporMax and Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% featuring ZoomX — to deliver options for every athlete.

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