This summer, Jordan Brand hosted its very first Jordan Brand Family Tour in China, joined by the brand’s next generation of athletes in Jayson Tatum, Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero, and Luka Doncic. In the middle of their tour, Jordan Brand officially unveiled Paolo Banchero’s signature logo, bringing him one step closer to a signature line. In contrast, Russell Westbrook, who has joined the Denver Nuggets this summer, is the only signature athlete to miss out on the China tour.
Back in 2017, the situation was different. Russell Westbrook was the reigning MVP coming off a historic season averaging a triple-double, and he had solidified himself as the face of the OKC Thunder franchise after Kevin Durant’s controversial departure. Although he didn’t have a signature shoe like his peers, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul, he had the honour of representing the Air Jordan line, with campaigns centred around him. However, despite being able to represent the most legendary signature shoe line in history, the landscape of signature lines was changing as players valued the importance of building their own brand rather than representing one. Whether it was a factor or not, Jordan Brand in September 2017 extended Westbrook’s 5-year contract to 10-years, keeping him under the Jumpman till the 25-26 NBA season.
With the lucrative multi-year contract came Westbrook’s signature line, the Why Not Zer0, which first released early 2018. Wearing the Why Not Zer0.1, Russell Wesbtrook would go on to average another triple double and lead the league in assists. His historic run of triple doubles would continue until his last season at OKC, before joining his former teammate James Harden of the Houston Rockets for a single season. There he put up All-Star numbers, averaging 27 PTS, 7.9 TRB, and 7.0 AST. And after being traded to the Wizards, he put up another season, averaging a triple-double, leading the Wizards to a playoff spot with Bradley Beal. This period of triple-doubles and pure athleticism from Russell Westbrook made him one of the most exciting players to watch. The hype naturally allowed him to be the most marketable player for Jordan Brand, which created diffusion lines such as the One Takes and a lifestyle line.
However, with the move to the Los Angeles Lakers, the excitement around Russell Westbrook faded as he struggled with his jumpshot and was regularly blamed for the Lakers’ mediocre performances. Although he had a slight revival after his trade to the Clippers, he generally struggled to live up to his OKC days. And entering the 24-25 season on his 6th team, and at the age of 35, it is safe to say that he is at the twilight of his career. Despite a loyal following (the LA Clippers’ Instagram page lost over a million followers after Westbrook’s trade), from Jordan Brand’s perspective, he has lost his marketability as a signature athlete. And in Michael Jordan’s famous words to Rip Hamilton, “My shoes are for All-Stars,” something Russell Westbrook hasn’t been since 2020.
Compared to Russell Westbrook’s decline, Jordan Brand’s latest high-profile signing, Paolo Banchero, is on the rise, as he has just come off a historic sophomore season, becoming an All-Star and leading the Orlando Magics to their first playoffs since 2020. Full of potential and set to grow into a franchise player for the Orlando Magic, Paolo Banchero is the perfect signature athlete for Jordan Brand and the great replacement for Russell Westbrook.
While a replacement may seem personal, it’s business at the end of the day, as we have seen both Jordan Brand and Nike make the transition to the next generation of signature athletes. Following Kyrie Irivng’s abrupt departure, Ja Morant was there to fill his space with the Ja line. For Paul George, the end of his PG line was picked up by Devin Booker. As for Jordan Brand, both Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul were replaced by Zion Williamson, Luka Donic, and Jayson Tatum. Although Kyrie Irving’s departure from Nike was sour for both parties, the closure of the signature line for Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Paul George has been more respectful. Former signature athletes such as Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul have been receiving exclusive PEs celebrating their milestones. For the case of Paul George, he will have his PG line retroed.
So for Russell Westbrook, who will have his Jordan Brand contract finishing in two years, he will be left with two choices. Whether he will receive the same treatment as Paul George is unclear, but he can stay at Jordan Brand with the possibility of having his signature line retroed. Or alternatively, he can move to an overseas brand where he has a bigger chance of reviving his signature line and continue to produce new silhouettes every year. What he would choose is unclear; however, what is certain is that Russell Westbrook is no longer at the top of Jordan Brand’s hierarchy.
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