Nearly a year after it was first announced, Nikola Jokic’s first signature shoe has finally hit an NBA court.
The NBA’s reigning MVP debuted the 361 Degrees Joker 1 Thursday night during the Denver Nuggets season-opening loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The black and white sneaker features a leather upper with two distinct regions splitting the colors. Black leather takes on a puffy pattern for the upper portion of the shoe, while the tongue takes on a diamond quilted look in black leather. Jokic’s jester hat appears throughout, including at the center of studded trim separating the black and white areas and at the end of a stripe running over the toe and extending to the sole unit.
Details on the Joker 1’s technology have yet to be fully revealed, but it was revealed to feature a CQT Qu!k midsole and Diamond Grip traction during a preview earlier this month.
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361 Degrees, a Chinese sportswear brand founded in 2003 and that’s grown strongly in recent years, announced it had signed Jokic to a signature shoe deal just days before the end of 2023. Jokic had long worn Nike sneakers prior, favoring the G.T. Jump for two years. Prior to debuting his own sneaker, Jokic had played in the 361’s Big3 Future High, which features a dual-layer midsole with a carbon fiber plate forked at the forefoot and a carbon fiber-woven upper.
Jokic is coming off of his third MVP honors in four years, making him one of just nine players to win the award at least three times. He also led the Nuggets to their first championship in 2023 to cap off a season that many argued should have garnered another MVP award.
The Joker 1 will test the star power of the Serbian player, who isn’t generally considered one of the faces of the league many considering him the best basketball player in the world and a combination of statistics and accolades that put him among the NBA’s historical elite. Jokic is often reluctant to be in the limelight and displays few of the overtly athletic feats that tend to command attention from the NBA’s typical brightest stars.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
