Besides being a creative genius with his music, Kanye West is also a very successful entrepreneur. One of his most wide-known and well-loved brands is Yeezy. Once made in collaboration with the German athletic wear conglomerate, Adidas, Yeezys are a status symbol today. A couple of years ago, pro ball player Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls donned West’s Yeezy BSKTBL Quantums during the Chicago All-Star Weekend. This particular move reminded the fans of the game of Michael Jordan.

Do you find yourself wondering why? While a player mimicking his Airness might not be new, the backstory is interesting. Let us find out what happened and how Kanye West’s Yeezys made the world walk down the Michael Jordan memory lane.

Zach LaVine emulates Michael Jordan by wearing the Kanye West Yeezys

The NBA has very specific rules about the accessories they allow the player to wear for the games. A few years ago, they banned Kanye West’s popular shoe brand, Yeezys; specifically the BSKTBL Quantum variant. According to ESPN, it was the “gleaming, reflective-material heel” that got those particular shoes vetoed by the league.

Nevertheless, that did not stop Zach LaVine from wearing them at the 2020 Chicago All-star game. Turns out, this isn’t the first Bull to disregard NBA’s sneaker rule. Magic Jordan set the trend up, and the others followed suit. About three decades ago, NBA prohibited the iconic Air Jordon 1’s on the court. Despite the ban, his Royal Airness didn’t abstain and continued to sport the kicks.

In fact, the veto skyrocketed the popularity of the Jordon 1s. Even today, they remain one of the most sought-after basketball sneakers out there. And by the looks of it, something similar is afoot for Kanye West‘s Yeezys as well. Apart from Zach, even other players like Andre Iguodala and Brandon Ingram donned the shoes at various games. Consequently, Kanye even declared LaVine would be the mascot for his footwear line. 

Do you think this action along with the Jordan association affected the sales of the Yeezys? Let us know in the comments. In the meantime, you can always watch Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy on Netflix to know more about the fascinating life of the Runaway artist.