The Design Process Behind The adidas Harden Vol. 2

 
Edited by John Kim
 
James Harden’s on-court game is all about changing direction quickly and staying light on his feet. With an offensive arsenal that includes a paralyzing jab-step, head-turning euro-step, and a nearly indefensible step-back jumper, Harden knows there isn’t a defender in the league that can match his footwork. His uncanny ability to snake his way to the hoop and draw contact combined with his sharp-shooting prowess make him one of the most most dangerous offensive weapons in the game, but his incredible passing ability deem him one of the few full-service offensive talents in the league that no five-man defensive scheme can contain.
 

Growing up in Los Angeles, James’ first love was basketball. He began cultivating an affinity for the game at a young age at Audubon Middle School, and from there his talents have taken him to Arizona State, an early NBA Finals appearance with the OKC Thunder, and now among the world’s elite ballers as the leader of the Houston Rockets. adidas and Harden know that the standards have been raised since the introduction of the Harden Vol. 1; more is simply expected from the brand, especially since Harden’s rise to MVP levels began right after that first signature shoe was released. The Harden Vol 2’s design team knows those are big shoes to fill, but its lead designer Rashad Williams has assured us that they are up to the task.

Data-driven technology was key when designing the Harden Vol. 2. It’s new outsole traction pattern is based completely off Harden’s tendencies and the different pressure points scattered around his foot. Studying data helped Williams and the rest of the adidas design team develop a creation that would serve James best while being relevant to consumers on a performance level. Data-driven design has been a key driver in footwear innovation in the industry, but it’s emphasis on basketball is apparent as the sport sees such a high demand for foot protection and stability.

Launching during All-Star Weekend in three lifestyle and on-court ready colorways, the Harden Vol. 2 is ready to make a name for itself as one of the best-performing basketball sneakers on the planet. The “California Dreamin’” color scheme is inspired by James’ love for the city of Los Angeles – the place where Harden learned to love the game of basketball and truly honed his technique. “Ignite” comes dressed primarily in deep Maroon and represents “The Beard’s” drive and fire to bring a title back to Houston as well as his ability to create more points for his team than any other superstar in the Association. Rounding out the first trio of drops is the “Vision”, which pays homage to number 13’s LA-based Middle School where he developed his vision and goal to become the player he is today.

Before making his way over to the adidas, Rashad Williams was the head of men’s basketball at Under Armour, and was an instrumental cog in the machine responsible for Steph Curry’s signature shoe line. As an industry veteran, Williams was a welcomed addition to adidas Basketball and had an influential hand in the Harden Vol. 2. We spoke with him to discuss his role and more.

SN: What did your team envision when you added this unique lacing mechanism to the sneaker?

RW: The whole idea is all around fit, so the lacing system gives consumers or players the option. It’s all about changing direction in the forefoot but the lacing system can give you more support in the forefoot if you need it, or if you need more in the ankle. That gives you that flexibility for some guys that like their shoes tight and some guys like there shoes loose.

SN: There was a bit more time in between the release of the harden 1 and the harden 2 than the industry is accustomed to. Were there any additional learnings from the extra time, or was it just a business decision to launch during All-Star Weekend?

RW: A little bit of both, we really wanted to get into the technology and the data of this one, we need to make sure were on James’ level, so we’re constantly gathering data. As we move forward with the volume 3 and the volume 4, we might look to adjust the releases of those.

SN: Do you have any special edition colorways or holiday releases coming soon you can tell us about?

RW: We have a few colorways coming, and the All-Star edition drops soon. There’s also the Audubon colorway which takes inspiration from his middle school, and that’s where he fell in love with the game of basketball. I remind people that James is an LA kid, and that has come out in some of these shoes. You’ll see more vibrant colorways from us, we took a little bit of retro Rockets inspiration as well. And some more LA, and California feels.

SN: The floodgates for streetwear collaborations on basketball sneakers are now open. Are there any similar projects for the Harden 2?

RW: Yeah, the great part is that we’re all about co-creating. So we’re always inspired and taking ideas from other brands, so we’re always looking to co-create with other brands. We hope to have a little bit more things coming. I think the Dame BAPE is kind of the beginning. Just wait and see.