words & images // Zac Dubasik
Yesterday afternoon, Jordan Brand officially unveiled the fifth entry into Chris Paul's signature line, the CP3.V. The unveil was done in style too, with scenes recreating key moments of CP's basketball past adorning the 11th floor of the Cooper Building in downtown Los Angeles. CP has never been shy about the role family plays in his life, which made it a perfect setting to launch his newest shoe, which is once again packed with personal detail.
Helping to launch the CP3.V was the shoe's designer, Tom Luedecke, who CP was quick to compliment. "Working with Tom is a lot of fun. We talk very often. He came down during the summer to talk about about the design aspect, but also about the performance aspects. ... Just like I try to be the best at what I do, Tom is the same way." On the performance side of things, the CP3.V features Podulon cushioning, a foam-based system designed for lightweight propulsion. You'll also see Flywire in the upper, TPU support shank, and a traction pattern tweaked to CP's exact playing style. "I'm always about getting quicker, and getting lower to the floor, as a point guard. And I think that's what we did with this shoe," Chris explained.
As for those personal touches, they may be the most subtle yet in his line, but they are very much a part of the shoe. For example, five small dots are found on the tongue, in reference to it being his fifth signature shoe. And while it will take you a while to count them all, the upper features 61 triangles, in tribute to "Papa Chilly," his late grandfather. "I'm very family oriented. Every time I step out on the court, I want to feel like I'm taking my family with me."
Be on the lookout for much more on the CP3.V, including details on the new colorways, design insights from Tom Luedecke and a full performance review.
