Donovan Mitchell’s Fifth Adidas Sneaker Marks the Most Dramatic Change Yet
During the summer, Donovan Mitchell‘s fifth signature sneaker, the Adidas D.O.N. Issue 5, made its debut not as a basketball sneaker, but as a baseball cleat. The Cleveland Cavaliers star played in the MLB Celebrity Softball Game and was given special version of his own shoe fitted with studs. Now, as the NBA season is about to commence, Adidas is giving the sneaker the full rollout.
At first glance, the D.O.N. Issue 5 stands out with a radical transformation from its predecessors. Like the other signature sneakers Adidas has rolled out for the upcoming season, it’s defined by elliptic lines that make it look sleek, futuristic, and more daring than what we’ve become used to seeing in the performance basketball space in recent years, both from Adidas and in the broader space.
“I would just take the word ‘ambitious’ and circle it,” Jalal Enayah, senior footwear designer for Adidas, told Footwear News in an email. “There’s been an overall mentality shift within the brand. We want to be the best, we’re going to take swings.”
From a performance standpoint, the upper’s asymmetrical construction was made with the intent of supporting Mitchell’s “dynamic lateral movements.” And while still featuring Lightstrike technology as before, the midsole takes on new geometry to optimize its support of his movements.
Adidas has announced three debut colorways for the D.O.N. Issue 5. “Blue Sapphire” is the same pair we saw as a baseball cleat earlier this summer and will release alongside the “Purple Bloom” variant. Both see their namesake colors appear take over the shoe and offset by black elliptic cutouts. Following in November, a “Black Widow” colorway swaps the arrangement with most of the shoe clad in black and the dindows in maroon.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.