As the month of February tipped off, the league office loosened its color restrictions in honor of Black History Month. During February, players aren't limited to their team's typical hues, meaning you can expect to see more color, more themes and more storytelling hitting the court than ever before.
In Utah, that meant breakout rookie Donovan Mitchell pairing the team's unorthodox, gradient, red-and-orange "City Edition" uniforms with a black-and-white, hand-painted "Spida" pair of the Adidas Dame 4, playing off of his longtime nickname with a web graphic atop the toe. In Minnesota, All-Star Jimmy Butler donned an exclusive 2011 "Black History Month" pair of the Air Jordan 3 with gold accents, standing out from the Timberwolves' subdued grey jerseys.
Atlanta Hawks guard Malcolm Delaney continued his trend of wearing vintage, sought-after sneakers. With the league's All-Star break nearing, the second-year point guard broke out a laser-etched Nike Zoom LeBron III, originally released during the league's 2006 All-Star Weekend in Houston.
Making his season debut after a lengthy rehab process, Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker took a unique approach to customizing his kicks for his first game back. Much like a cast that's worn throughout an injury and signed by close friends and family, his pair of Jordan Super.Flys were adorned with a compilation of the names of those closest to him, along with some of his favorite basketball memories, such as his prolific high school career at Chicago's Simeon High School.
In somber news for the NBA family, players around the league mourned the loss of former player Rasual Butler, who, along with his wife, Leah, died earlier in the week in a car accident just outside of Los Angeles. While debuting a new color of his Nike PG2 signature shoe, Oklahoma City Thunder wing Paul George also inscribed a tribute for "RB."
While George has been exclusively wearing his second Nike sneaker for a few weeks now, several players continue to wear his PG1 from a year ago in a variety of customized colorways. From opponents to beloved former teammates such as New Orleans Pelicans forward Solomon Hill, the PG1 has been a mainstay all season long.
As Hill continues to work his way back from a serious hamstring injury, he was spotted doing pregame work in a custom-painted, Mardi Gras-themed edition of the first PG shoe, with his "SH" initials across the strap for good measure. Hill saw firsthand just how hard George worked to return to the court after his own devastating leg injury, and was happy to see the now-Thunder star's signature sneaker line get off to a strong start.
"It's beyond great, and something he's been planning for years," Hill said. "It's great to see it finally happen and for him to see his market become fruitful. It's one thing to have a shoe that's comfortable and be considered a great shoe to play in, and it's another to have a creative influence in it, as well."
Check out all of the best sneakers from around the league this week and vote on your favorite pair below.