Jayson Tatum Breaks Down Why Jordan 11s Aren’t Michael Jordan’s Greatest Shoes

Jayson Tatum is known in the NBA world for his offensive versatility and ability to shoot the 3-ball with ease. These skills helped bring the 27-year-old to two NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics. Tatum and his Boston squad are the league’s current defending champions going into the 2025 postseason. What some fans may not realize is his affinity for basketball sneakers. Tatum is such a collector that his sneakers take up his entire closet.

Tatum showed off his massive collection during a recent edition of his YouTube vlog, including a pair of Jordans that were based on the 1966 Mustang GT. “I got 10 pair of these,” he said with a smile. “I know it ain’t fair, I know. Jordan brand athlete, but it’s the perks of it.” A few seconds later, the six-time All-Star showed off a pair of Melos, then shouted out to Carmelo Anthony for his NBA Hall of Fame induction.

One story that Tatum shared was how he never got to get his hands on the Cool Grey 11s Jordan. Fortunately, he was able to scratch that itch once he signed with the brand back in 2019. “When I signed with Jordan, I was like, ‘Yo, that’s my favorite Jordan of all-time. Can I get a pair?’ Now I got six pairs,” Tatum stated, revealing the collection of Cool Grey 11s.

As far as what Jordan number he thinks is the best, Tatum has his opinion. When his camera operator suggested that the Jordan 11s were the GOAT sneaker, Tatum immediately shut that nonsense down. “Jordan ones, the low-top ones,” he said with conviction. “You can wear low-top ones to a cookout, to a graduation, to a game with a suit. They just go with your fit.” 

The Jordan Ones are a solid choice because of their level of casualness. The shoe does bear a resemblance to the Air Force Ones, but the differences are large enough. The 11s being Tatum’s favorite seems to be personal presence, but those do have a reputation for being a comfortable sneaker built for performance.

Jayson Tatum called his signature shoe a “dream come true”

Not only is Tatum a prime collector of Jordan sneakers, but now he has several of his own. Four months ago, the Celtics star spoke with Forbes about the release of the Jordan Tatum 3s. He admitted at the time that getting a deal with his favorite sneaker brand was a “dream come true.”

“I always revert back to moments when I was a kid, having a conversation with my mom,” he stated. “One day I’m going to win a championship. One day we are gonna go to Footlocker and kids are going to wanna buy my shoe.”

The Tatum 3 is getting rave reviews as well. Weartesters called it the “best Tatum model to date,” a sign that both athletes and casual sneaker buyers are enjoying the kicks.

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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