Heat Check! Top 10 Kicks worn during the 2020-21 Rutgers Hoops season
It’s been a successful year for the Scarlet Knights who will now turn their attention to the Big Ten tournament and the NCAA Tournament.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are going dancing for the first time since the 1991 season, and hopefully this time, without impediment of the global COVID-19 health crisis that struck College Basketball, and sports, to its core.
This should have been the case for the Knights last year, as they were literally on the cusp of making it back to the tournament following a massive win against Purdue. Concurrently, the world just shut down at this time last year, and the sporting world became the first sacrifice to preserve life and health amidst one of the world’s most significant crises.
Last year’s Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament had to be canceled, effectively ending the 2019-20 season. And just like that, the magical 20-11 season that Rutgers had was over, just like that.
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It would not be all bad though, as most of the underclassmen that had helped Steve Pikiell produce such a respectable record last year essentially do the same this year in the most unique season in the history of the NCAA.
And as if it were some rift of déjà vu falling over the Knights, it took until the last game of the regular season that would, just like last year against Purdue, go into overtime. And Jacob Young happened to go off again in another extra time period to secure a spot in the national tournament for the first time in 30 years, capping off his game-high 23-point night with a isolation drive to the lane, euro step and finish, getting the bucket and drawing the foul in the process.
The seventh-ranked squad in the Big Ten will have a chance to better those odds with the conference tournament starting this upcoming Wednesday.
The Knights, who ended up going 14-10 overall with only four losses inside the RAC this year, earned some relatively (your perspective) large wins over big name conference schools like Indiana and Purdue, but none more notable than their 67-37 home beatdown of Michigan State, avenging their previous 23-point loss to the Spartans in East Lansing. Myles Johnson controlled the glass the entire night, scoring 13 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in 28 minutes.
And additionally, these Knights came close to knocking off Luka Garza’s No. 5 Iowa Hawkeyes, only losing by two in one of the most exciting games of the season.
These Knights have had two historical seasons, both on the court and in the “Heat Department”. Adidas hooked the Knights up with some fresh on-court gear, so let us take a peep at who rocked the nicest kicks in the 2020-21 season.
10. Jacob Young: Adidas Dame 3 – Worn on 2/24/21, Senior Night Win vs. Indiana
THE SKINNY: Jacob Young’s final game inside the RAC was a memorable experience, when the Senior posted 10 points, 7 assists and 2 rebounds in a much-needed home 74-63 win over visiting Indiana for their 13th win of the year and their 10th win at home in the 2020-21 season.
If you are a fan of simplicity, Young had you covered that night. He decided to go the simple, monochromatic look here, as the senior guard decided to rock a classic adidas hoops shoe - the third edition in Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard’s shoe line.
As explained by adidas.com “The Dame 3 is specifically built for players of Young’s skillset: one that includes both explosiveness and the ability to stop on a dime to showcase any and every type of offensive talent. Lillard’s third signature shoe provides a comfortable but secure mesh upper, along with bounce cushioning, multiple lacing options and a rubber outsole with a tread pattern that actually shows the courts that Lillard used to play on when he was younger.”
9. Jacob Young: Adidas Pro Model 2G Badged – Gold/Black/Scarlet Colorway – Worn on 1/28/2021, Win vs. Michigan State
THE SKINNY: Young appears on our countdown again, this time with another simple-yet-crazy colorway of a classic adidas shoe – the adidas Pro Model 2G, released in 2006. In reference to the ’06 Knights who finished 19-14 and sported this exact shoe, the adidas Pro Model features a textile upper with a bouncy, cushioned, and responsive midsole.
Back in the 2000s, it was a favorable sneaker for its comfortability and adaptability regardless of which positional player it was worn by, but today’s current edition of the Pro Model features the modern adidas Herringbone traction along its midsole, adiPrene cushioning and a shell toe design, that in which Young (shown above) decided to get a gold version of.
Young brandished these timeless kicks in a statement win over Michigan State back on January 28th, as Young checked in at the 15:08 mark in the first quarter and finished the game with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in 22 minutes of play, while shooting an efficient 3-of-6 from the field, as well as going 2- for-2 from downtown. And this win over MSU was not just their 10th win of the season and seventh win inside the RAC, but it marked the first time in program history that the Scarlet Knights would end up beating the Michigan State Spartans.
8. Myles Johnson: Harden Vol. 4 Pink Lemonade – Worn on 2/13/21, Win Vs. Northwestern
THE SKINNY: Star center Myles Johnson makes his debut on the 2021 version of the best Rutgers kicks list with his own custom version of James Harden’s fourth signature shoe, the Harden Vol. 4, but in a light pink version that caught eyes during RU’s win over Northwestern back on February 13. Per GOAT.com – “The adidas Harden Vol. 4 'Pink Lemonade' sneaker arrived in October 2019 tailored to James Harden's flashy court moves and style persona. Its honeycomb mesh and suede bootie give way to a stitched midfoot band and lacing with asymmetrical anchors. Embroidered Three-Stripes and Harden's emblem on heel incite an elevated aesthetic. A Lightstrike-cushioned midsole is presented on top of a translucent rubber outsole with modified tread.” Just like the prolific James Harden and his fashion sense both on and off-court, Johnson is no stranger to making his presence known when he suits up for the Scarlet Knights. Their sweep of the Wildcats featured a dominant performance on the glass by the Junior, who grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds, and scored 12 points while missing only one shot in the Knights’ twelfth win of the season and eighth win inside the RAC.
7. Ron Harper Jr.: Crayola x D.O.N. Issue #2 “Solar Gold/Core Black) – Worn on 1/2/21, Loss Vs. Iowa
THE SKINNY: Next up, we have blossoming offensive talent Ron Harper Jr. getting some shine (pun intended) on the countdown with the pair of Crayon x adidas D.O.N. (stands for Determination over Negativity, by the way) Issue #2 Solar Gold kicks he rocked in one of the most memorable battles of the season against the then-ranked No.5 Iowa Hawkeyes, led by National player of the Year favorite Luka Garza.
Harper and his Knights kept it close and made the fifth-ranked team in the country sweat and earn a gritty 77-75 road win, and as the Junior helped to apply that pressure with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists with three 3PTs made, he did so with the latest edition of Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell’s signature shoe, the D.O.N. Issue #2.
Adidas and Crayola teamed up to create a three-pack of the D.O.N. Issue #2, and the 'Solar Gold' was the specific colorway Harper decided to wear against their most challenging opponent in arguably their biggest game of the season.
As for the shoe, its mesh upper emerges in a monochromatic Solar Gold finish, with a half-bootie supporting the fit. The prominent heel counter includes Donovan Mitchell's spider logo, with 'Free to Create' on the laces. For the underfoot part of the outsole, a Bounce midsole provides cushioning, giving way to an outsole that reveals Crayola branding.
6. Caleb McConnell: Adidas Dame 7 “Flair” – Worn on 1/28/2021, Win Vs. Michigan State
THE SKINNY: Wooo! For any Pro Wrestling fans reading this article, you might want to pay attention even more, since this selection from Caleb McConnell during Rutgers’ 67-37 shellacking of the Michigan State Spartans is for you.
The Junior guard was a part of the program-milestone of a first-ever win against a Michigan State, and Tom Izzo-coached, team, and while he didn’t quite make a mark on the offensive end - eight points and three rebounds - he made up for it while stopping the likes of MSU’s Aaron Henry and Rocket Watts (who scored a combined 11 points) with three steals on the day.
McConnell wore a Ric Flair-inspired design of the adidas Dame 7 during RU’s seventh home win of the season, a shoe that, much like ol’ Naitch himself, will have anyone who wants to style and profile in them on the hardwood do just that.
The seventh shoe in the Damian Lillard catalogue requires one wearing the sneaker to be as explosive as they can be, either going to the rim or stopping on a dime to pull up from deep with its own style of Lightstrike cushioning. The gum rubber outsole of the shoe provides elevated durability and inert traction to assist pivoting, cutting and turning to make the process of giving opponents the basketball version of a Figure-4 Leglock a whole lot easier, while the upper materials, patented and inspired by the Nature Boy’s iconic white and gold robes that the 16-time World Champion (in WWE, WCW, and NWA combined!) wore to the ring, allow anyone to stand out with “Flair” on the floor.
5. Cliff Omoruyi: Harden Vol. 4 “Scarlet” – Worn on 3/6/21, Regular Season Finale Win Vs. Minnesota
THE SKINNY: Now that we are halfway through this list, the first Freshman pops up on this countdown with another Harden Vol. 4 colorway, this time in native Scarlet for the second team colorway to appear on this list.
As mentioned earlier, the Harden Vol. 4 is one of the more adaptive shoes that adidas has ever made, and it is tailored to give the user maximum support and grip needed to ramp up their game to compete with the absolute best.
A rubber outsole concurrent to the shoe’s colorway (as shown above) is crafted for providing total on-court movement without discomfort or restriction, while its cushioned sole gives the player wearing the shoes support and impact protection necessary for competing at any level. Finally, the traction patterns on the underfoot part of the outsole lets the wearer make each motion with efficacy. The textile upper and lining are made to keep things cool, and it’s a shoe that’s set for a lengthy duration of use.
Freshman Cliff Omoruyi wore these against Minnesota in, from fans’ perspectives, one of the most nerve-wracking season finales in recent memory. Omoruyi did his part spacing the floor offensively, being a constant presence on both the offensive glass and equally as a rim protector, helping Myles Johnson limit the Golden Gophers to 31.3 percent shooting from the field, as well as only 24 points in the paint during two halves and one overtime period. Thanks to his help, last Sunday’s 77-70 win over Minnesota made the Rutgers Scarlet Knights a lock into a spot in the NCAA Div. 1 Men’s Tournament next week!
4. Ron Harper Jr.: Harden Vol. 4 “Pride” – Worn on 1/9/21, Loss Vs. Ohio State
THE SKINNY: The Final Harden Vol. 4 on this list was definitely the best pair of Hardens saved for last, as Ron Harper Jr.’s second appearance on this list is a “prideful” one.
Harper wore the Pride colorway of James Harden’s fourth signature shoe during a home game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. And as a tribute to individuality, the shoe was crafted as a means of teaching the lesson of being true to yourself and standing out amongst the crowd by saying ‘no’ to simplicity and embracing the idea of setting one’s own path.
This version of the popular Harden shoe released in 2019 comes draped in rainbow colors and are tuned to the signature style of play not just for James Harden, but any athlete that chooses to use them on the court and attack the game in their own unique way. The low-cut version of this shoe delivers lateral support with generative traction offered by a rubber outsole that is aesthetically employed by all colors of the rainbow, and its overlay displays the exact array of colors in a collage periodically separated by white laces and the shoe’s usual patent leather eyestay, as well as a gold-colored three stripes on the tongue.
Harper wore this specific colorway on more than one occasion this season – the other, in their game against Michigan State – and while doing so, was one of three Scarlet Knights that scored in double-digits with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in a team-high 34 minutes on the floor. The Junior made sure to make his impact felt, though in a home loss, albeit, with a steal and block while shooting around 42 percent from the field against the eighth-ranked defense in the Big Ten.
3. Montez Mathis: Harden Vol. 3 Legend Purple/Core Black – Worn on 12/29/20, Home Win Vs. Purdue
THE SKINNY: Montez Mathis makes his debut on this year’s countdown in exclamatory style, rocking a team favorite from last year – the Harden Vol. 3. Perhaps the sleekest, most simplistic model in James Harden’s shoe line, the Harden Vol. 3 is built with an upper overlay made of leather for a snug feel around the bridge of the foot, which is built to sustain quick bursts and changes of direction, as well as a responsive midsole that returns energy on every swift movement around or away from the basket.
A regular part of adidas’ basketball shoes, the Herringbone outsole with its own slip-proof traction and artful design of a purple heel, gray sole, and red toecap allows the athlete to stop and start on a dime with ease.
Mathis, a Junior guard from Baltimore, Maryland wore this on the court as the Scarlet Knights played host to the visiting Purdue Boilermakers in their one and only matchup against the team that was supposed to advance the Knights into the National Tournament had a global pandemic changed their plans but stayed undefeated against Purdue in the same span of a year with a keenly contested 81-76 home win. Mathis was integral in making sure the Knights would not leave the RAC without a win against a Big Ten foe, knocking down every shot he attempted from behind the arc for a 5-for-5 night, and a 9-for-15 night overall for a game-high total of 25 points. He was the hot man and primary target to run Steve Pikiell’s offense through, and with his 28 minutes on the floor, his offensive output continued the Scarlet Knights’ perfect 7-0 record in New Brunswick to bolster their then 6-1 record.
2. Caleb McConnell: Adidas Crazy BYW 2.0 “Yellow Tint/Chalk Coral/Trace Purple: Pharrell Williams” – Worn on 2/4/21, Home Win Vs. Minnesota
THE SKINNY: The second-best sneaker on this cannot be any other than Caleb McConnell rocking the adidas and Pharrell Williams collaboration of a colorway for the Crazy BYW 2.0, a wildly distinctive shoe in comparison to the collection of other adidas shoes worn by the Scarlet Knights this year, and likely, in year’s past. And as McConnell is quite the stylistic Junior, the adidas Crazy BYW 2.0 allows the consumer to be as audacious as they want wearing these 90s inspired kicks.
These shoes mesh three entirely different-but-related fields of sport, style and individualistic culture. For this specific collaboration with the Hip-Hop mogul and legend Pharrell Williams, Streetwear inspiration is mixed with the agility an ambitious athlete needs to tell their own tale. Speaking of technical things in the shoe, Torsion System plates in the sole add stability, and energy returning adidas boost in the midsole responds to every step.
Caleb McConnell now has two shoes in this year’s Top 10 Sneakers list and made a noteworthy impact against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, a team in the B1G that these Knights swept in their annual two-game series this year. McConnell scored 14 points in the win off 5-for-11 shooting from the field with one three made, while also grabbing 6 rebounds, dishing out 3 assists, and getting 3 steals in 30 minutes of play.
More importantly, had it not been for Rutgers’ “glue guy” shutting down Minnesota’s Marcus Carr in their final possessions (who finished the game with 18 points off 7-for-14 shooting but had five turnovers on the night, largely in part to McConnell’s tenacity on the defensive end) the lasting impact of a sinking home loss would’ve tanked their record in the Big Ten under .500 making it too injurious to get the Knights back into the tournament for the first time in 30 years.
1. Geo Baker: Harden B/E 3 “Goku P.E.” – Worn on 2/24/21, Senior Night Win vs. Indiana
THE SKINNY: Alas, what Rutgers Men’s Basketball sneaker article is complete without their leading scorer and best player? Geo Baker finds his way back on this countdown with his elite custom version of the Harden B/E 3 he debuted for his return game against the Hoosiers on January 15th of last season.
Which means…Baker’s “Goku P.E.” of this Harden exclusive takes the cake as the best worn shoe for the Scarlet Knights for a second-straight season.
And Geo was no stranger to wearing the B/E 3, for it had been, and continues to be, his go-to shoe when hooping for the Knights. The shoe’s textile overlay padded ankle collar and adidas-signature Herringbone rubber pattern outsole alone make that decision easy.
But it’s the galaxy pink and purple overlay with drawn-on Super Saiyan eyes inspired by the popular Anime “Dragon Ball Z” that cascade along the eyestay and lace of the shoe that make this player exclusive really pop.
For Senior Night, he was in favor to re-living old memories for the last home game he would play in a Scarlet Knights uniform, so you know he had to make his final appearance on the floor of the RAC one that RU fans, in spirit, would never forget, even if their physical presence wasn’t felt in the building the wake of a pandemic.
When Baker wore these B/E 3 customs last year, he was fresh off rehabilitating a thumb injury that kept him out for a week prior to the game and returned to one of the largest ovations in the history of the men’s basketball program.
And as Baker put these on to play at home for one last time, best believe that this shoe had sentimental value – the last time he wore these against Indiana, the entire RAC had one of the largest eruptions since its inception (oh, how RU fans cannot wait to hear live crowd sound again…) when he *literally* went Super Saiyan on the Hoosier defense, splitting two defenders and erupting towards the rim while an Indiana defender rotated too slowly to stop Baker’s “Spirit Bomb” of a one-handed tomahawk slam off two feet!
This game against Indiana featured nary a stunt that rivaled his SportsCenter Top-10-worthy play, but it did feature a 20-ball and double-double from Baker, who shot around 54 percent from the field and 55 percent from three-land, packaging 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals with it in the Knights’ 13th win of the season and 10th and final win at home.