Air Jordan 31 'Why Not?' Performance Review

Does Russell Westbrook's version of the Air Jordan 31 improve on the original?

Air Jordan 31 "Why Not?"
Image via Nike
Air Jordan 31 "Why Not?"

I thoroughly enjoyed playing in the Air Jordan 31, but my lasting impression of the shoe was that if Jordan Brand had only combined the upper of the 31 with the tooling of the 30, it would have been one of the best-performing models ever. So when Russell Westbrook started hitting the court in one-off hybrids with that exact setup, it was both reassuring and frustrating. It was nice to know that I wasn’t alone in that preference, but it sucked knowing that I couldn’t also have a pair.

I wondered all season what it would be like to play in the shoe, and as soon the news hit that a pair would be dropping at retail to commemorate his historic run, there was no doubt in my mind—I had to have a pair. And even if it was more of a limited release and collectors item, I was going to play in it.

To say I had high expectations for the “Why Not?” 31s would be an understatement. I can’t think of many shoes I’ve looked forward to playing in more. But can you simply take parts from two different shoes, slap them together, and have the best of both worlds?

Hover over the dots below to find out.

Air Jordan 31 "Why Not?" - Fit

Air Jordan 31 "Why Not?" - Ankle Support

Air Jordan 31 "Why Not?" - Cushioning

Air Jordan 31 "Why Not?" - Traction

It’s rare enough for a player exclusive to hit retail, but virtually unheard of for a PE with performance alterations to see a release. It’s a shame that the 30/31 hybrid didn’t drop that way from the start because while some changes had more impact than others, it’s a superior version in almost every aspect, and was everything I'd hoped for. While I have my doubts that we’ll see the tooling yet again on the Air Jordan 32, the fact that Jordan Brand went back to a proven platform at the behest of their highest profile athlete gives me hope that the next version could be even better. In the meantime, I'll keep hoping that more pairs of the Russell Westbrook 31 drop in easier-to-acquire releases.