words // Brandon Richard
The sneaker story of the 2010-2011 NBA season was without a doubt Gilbert Arenas' footwear free agency, which allowed him to break out several pairs from his personal collection to wear in games. We saw Gil rock everything from FILA, to PE Reebok Questions and Air Jordan XIIIs, various Under Armour models and of course his famous Dolce & Gabbana high-tops. We never saw Gilbert wear anything customized, but you may not know how close we actually came to seeing it happen.
Mizzee Customs (or Miz) has gained plenty of notoriety in the sneaker community as one of the best customizers in the game. His themed efforts, such as the Oscar Robertson inspired LeBron 8, "Throw It Down Shannon Brown" Air Max and "Bordeaux" Air Jordan VI are just a few of the reasons Mizzee's name rings out when it comes to custom jobs. On a recent trip to Orlando, Mizzee was given the opportunity to work on a huge project - customize a pair of sneakers for Gilbert Arenas to wear in a playoff game.
While definitely up to the task, there's a process that must be abided by. Mizzee had to create a rough draft of the design he had in mind and submit it for league review. Once he received that approval, he began his project.
Using the "Oreo" Air Jordan Retro 6 as a base, Miz wanted to make sure he carried out an Orlando Magic theme, while adding his own twist in the process. He applied elements of the jerseys previously worn by Orlando's other notable #1s, Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway and Tracy McGrady. As you see, the iridescent stars from the 2003-2004 T-Mac era jerseys are worked into the upper. Orlando's famous pinstripe detailing from the original uniforms is painted along the midsole. Metallic silver accenting appears on the tongue and heel-pull, while the Magic's logos are painted on the heels of each shoe. Completing the look below is a blue outsole.
The good news is that Mizzee completed the customs in time and had them ready to roll out on court. The bad news is that Gilbert was saving them to wear in Orlando for Game 7, and that didn't quite work out. Still a hell of a story and a very nice looking custom. Check out more photos and a video of the Gilbert Arenas 1-of-1 below.
via Mizzee Customs
