Sneaker Talk: Chicago Bulls’ James Johnson

words & interview_Christopher Cason

When I tell people that James Johnson could one day be the Bulls second best player, most just assume I’m being a homer or I know something that they don’t know. However, that same thought is echoed throughout the Bulls locker room, and all it’s going to take for that to happen is for Johnson to realize it himself.

I recently caught up with the rookie from Wake Forest to talk shoes, and being one of the most outgoing people on the team, it was easy to get James to talk about his love of sneakers, what he enjoyed during his childhood and what he’s enjoyed playing in this season.

Christopher Cason: You have been wearing the Kobe IV’s lately. Why those and not the V’s?
James Johnson: The Kobe IV’s, those are the ones I was working out in coming into my rookie season. They’re just comfortable, they’re light and I feel confident playing in them.

You’re one of the bigger players to play in the IV’s, how do they handle?
They break well. You really get taped in the NBA, a lot. So, with putting on tape, it feels like you have a light high-top.

You’ve worn the Autoforce 180, Hyperdunk, Alpholution, Huarache 2010 and now the Kobe IV’s, which one of those have been your favorite and why?
I’m going to have to go with the Hyperdunks. I’ve been using the Hyperdunks since college. They’re light as well and they’re loose up top. You have some mobility at the top as well as ankle support.

Coming up as a kid, what were some of the shoes you were in to?
I wore all the Pennys. I wore the Pippens with the “AIR” on them, the Deion Sanders and the Charles Barkleys. Those were my joints. That’s what I kept on to. I kept those and the Jordan IVs. Those are what I played in throughout my high school career.

You’ve been telling me you got a surprise towards the end of the season, any hints on what it is?
You know, I got a little surprise if we do get in the playoffs, or towards the end of the year. You just got to wait to see them!

Tags: Chicago Bulls, interviews, james johnson, nike, sneaker talk

14 Responses to “Sneaker Talk: Chicago Bulls’ James Johnson”

1. MarcSJ says:

   March 28, 2010 at 6:54 pm

   It’s surprsing eveytime you find out that an NBA player has love for sneakers, for JJ at least. I wonder what the surprise is.

   Reply
2. LOVEtheXIV says:

   March 28, 2010 at 7:00 pm

   ^ Why would that surprise you? All players in the league today obviously grew up watching MJ….. the shoes are apart of the mystique!

   Reply
3. Christopher Cason says:

   March 28, 2010 at 8:44 pm

   From the majority of players I have spoken with, all love Jordans.

   Reply
4. James says:

   March 28, 2010 at 10:26 pm

   His surprise is the 12s in the OG Taxi colorway. He wore em today against the Pistons in Detroit.

   Reply
   • Nene33 says:

     March 29, 2010 at 3:39 am

     I hope not, we all know what happens when the Bulls play in white-based shoes James if you’re reading this, black-based shoes man, the only way to win.
     Last year, the only game they wore white shoes, the Celtics ran them out of the United Center(worst loss in that series).

     Reply
5. Christopher Cason says:

   March 29, 2010 at 1:31 am

   James, I thought that also when I saw him trying to warm up before the Nets game, but he said those aren’t it. He has tons of things in his locker, including some KD 2′s in the All-Star colorway, so I’m still waiting to see what else he has in store.

   Reply
6. sneaksoy says:

   March 29, 2010 at 7:43 pm

   This guy is gonna be a beast in a few years… Nice to see a dude who grew up rocking the Air Uptempos and AJ IVs!

   Reply
7. ChiGuyBen says:

   March 30, 2010 at 9:15 am

   He wore white/red against Detroit, not white/black “taxi’s”. That would be a PE colorway right now, which he would never get because he’s not a Jordan player. Whatever Jordans he wears are off the rack.

   Reply
   • James says:

     March 30, 2010 at 4:47 pm

     What the hell you talkin bout you can buy the taxis they aren’t only for jb athletes and he was wearen em I saw the dam game he wasn’t wearin the red ones

     Reply
     • ChiGuyBen says:

       March 30, 2010 at 6:15 pm

       Are these the ‘taxis’ you saw? Cuz these are red and aren’t ‘taxis’….

       http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/98104725/National-Basketball-Association

       Reply
       • James says:

         March 30, 2010 at 8:23 pm

         Wow that’s fuckin gay of you to look up a picture and kno by that I only saw on tv I wasn’t huntin for pictures

         Reply
   • Nene33 says:

     March 31, 2010 at 10:02 am

     Weren’t the Taxi’s in the CDP? ……….so not exactly PE’s.

     Reply
8. Seven Duece says:

   March 30, 2010 at 3:08 pm

   Finally, a nba player that can speak on sneakers – good luck James!

   Reply
9. schurgy says:

   March 31, 2010 at 7:06 pm

   James is from Wyoming! i watched him play at state a few years back.

   Reply