New Jayson Tatum-designed shoes pay tribute to St. Louis roots

ST. LOUIS – After reaching his first NBA Finals last season, St. Louis native Jayson Tatum is back in the playoffs and pushing for another chance at a championship. As that journey begins, Tatum also found another way to pay tribute to his hometown.

Tatum has teamed up with footwear company Nike to design and release a special pair of Air Jordans. The basketball shoes represent his St. Louis roots in several different ways.

The shoes use traces of red, white and river blue similarly to how soccer team CITY SC shows respect to St. Louis. Inside both shoes is a yellow disk design with fleur-de-lis like the one on the city’s flag. The tongue of the shoe also has a “Archer Ave” sign, symbolizing Jayson’s humble beginnings in St. Louis.

The shoes retail at $120 and were just released earlier this month. With popular demand, the shoes have already sold out. Tatum helped with the design of these shoes, but has not yet worn them in a game setting.

“Everybody who knows me knows that my love for St. Louis runs deep…” said Tatum via Nike in the online listing for the shoes.

Tatum, a 2016 graduate of Chaminade College Preparatory School in Creve Coeur, is still pushing for an NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics. The 25-year-old has established himself as one of the league’s most prolific scorers and has enjoyed four consecutive All-Star selections.

Check out the slideshow above with photos of the new shoes, provided by Nike courtesy of Jordan Brand.