Who has the best shots on Team USA?

After a process that began at the beginning of the year – "a series of phone calls", he jokes – Tatum praised the internal change to become a member of the Jordan team after the second season only of his contract rookie shoe with Nike.

"I told my mom that the only way for athletes to come to the mark is that Jordan approves," he said. "Get the approval of the greatest player of all time at 21 [years old] is an incredible feeling. "

When his mother asked him about his transfer acceptance process, it was apparently a simple decision.

"I was like" Jordan knows who I am? "Yeah, I'm down," he says with a laugh.

In the week before his official announcement, Tatum said that 50 pairs of Jordans had arrived at his home. Several limited edition exclusives have been proposed alongside recent performance models, as well as a handful of his favorite Air Jordan 1 colors.

During his stay at USA Basketball, Tatum helped coincide, coincidentally, the Jumpman Diamond, the latest in Jordan's performance shoes, alongside his new teammate and teammate Kemba Walker. Each wears slightly different editions of the team shoe in navy, white and red accents, before going on to green kicks for the regular season.

"The creativity and freedom you can have here and between the athletes are really creative and new to the world of basketball," Tatum said.

Although many of the NBA's biggest stars, with their own shoes, have decided not to compete in the FIBA ​​World Cup this summer, Donovan Mitchell has been named the only American basketball player in the world. own one's own model. The timing could not be better because Adidas has just launched its debut, D.O.N. Sneaker # 1, highlighted by an acronym for "determination on negativity" and complemented by comic book themes.

As he did during the past season, Mitchell continued his ritual of giving his fans sneakers, leaving a young boy impressed by the delivery of his exclusive white, navy and navy Adidas shoes.

While Tucker and Kuzma are just starting the first stages of their pending free shoe agency project, Celtics goaltender Marcus Smart may have already agreed to Las Vegas at his next shoe contract. After signing for the first time with Adidas as a rookie in 2014, Smart was seen in Puma's outfit, from head to toe, while he arrived for the training camp of the Puma. USAB, which was hardly subtle. The next day, he laced Puma's Uproar sneakers in white, blue and red, perhaps announcing his plans.

Discussions between the two sides continue, according to industry sources. While Puma-sponsored athlete Terry Rozier is leaving the Celtics as a freelance agency, the Boston-based basketball category would be wise to have Smart sign up to maintaining their local professional presence once their contract with Adidas will officially expire on October 1st.

Last but not least, head coach Gregg Popovich even turned heads during the team's training, revealing a white and navy duo from the mass-cult classic, which became cult, which became cult and which has become cult. He even caught the attention of the defending champion of the league's sneakers.

"Pop m killed with Air Monarchs!" Said Tucker.

Check out all the best sneakers worn so far at USA Basketball sessions in anticipation of the 2019 FIBA ​​World Cup and vote for your favorite pair in the poll below. For real-time sneaker updates and community discussions, join our SneakerCenter Facebook group and follow us on Instagram.