Like Anthony’s shoe takes cues from the Jordan XI via the patent leather, Dwayne Wade’s Fly Wade 2 also borrows from Jordan’s of the past. Representing the “Fly Over†silo, Wade’s second signature sneaker is reminiscent of a few different Jordan shoes, mostly because the legendary Mark Smith designed it. Smith, who is the Global Design Director for Jordan Brand, has had his hand in the design of several MJ classics since he started working on footwear for the company in 1993.
With the Fly Wade 2, Smith used Hyperfuse upper with a full Lunarlon midsole–a technology normally exclusive to running shoes–to enhance Wade’s fast-paced, above the rim game. He, along with Wade, also designed the Miami Heat guard’s new logo, which will appear for the first time on the shoe, which drops in December. Wade is a stickler for making sure his shoe feels good and that emphasis on comfort is apparent in his second signature Jordan shoe (Wade was previously signed to Converse). “Fit and comfort are two of the things we really emphasized with the shoe,†says Smith. “If it’s comfortable, you play well, if you play well then you look really good.â€