On Jan. 11, 2013, Russell Westbrook led the Oklahoma City Thunder into Los Angeles for a Friday night matchup against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Stuffing the stat sheet as he's known to do, Westbrook recorded 27 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds in a 116-101 Thunder victory.
As many players do, Westbrook used the Hollywood spotlight as a platform to debut special sneakers. For this game, it was a never-before-seen Thunder-themed Air Jordan 3 Player Exclusive. With the iconic "Black Cement" colorway serving as the base design, the OKC palette of Photo Blue, orange and yellow were added for a custom touch. Outside of that game, the shoes have never been seen in detail — until now.
Collector and photographer Anthony Jordan shares a pair he was able to acquire — one of roughly 10 pairs in existence. Four were given to Westbrook himself, while the remaining pairs are possessed by Jordan Brand employees and a few lucky individuals like Jordan.
Following Westbrook's summer decision to remain in Oklahoma City, his popularity may be at an all-time high. Perhaps now is the time to celebrate Jordan Brand's lead athlete with a special release. This detailed look from every angle will have to do for now.
