When Luka Doncic originally joined with the Jordan brand in late 2019, the NBA fashion world knew the young Slovenian would soon have Jordan merchandise bearing his name.

Doncic isn’t the only Mavs employee that has inspired a shoe. God Shammgod, a longtime player development coach, collaborated with Puma last year to launch his own shoe. Doncic does not yet have his own signature sneaker with his name on it, but it is certainly not long off.

 

So far, Michael Jordan is the only athlete to have his own distinct brand as a branch of Nike, but LeBron James wanted to follow in His Airness’ footsteps and establish his own branded branch as well. And who did he want as his first signee? The Wonder Boy of Ljubljana.

 

Doncic spoke with Jordan on Friday about his new signature logo and player-exclusive sneaker, the AJ36, as well as his desire to play for Slovenia’s national team. Here’s a sample from that conversation.

Jordan: The Air Jordan XXXVI shows your new logo across the laces. What’s the story behind it?

Luka Doncic: “I really enjoyed working with Jordan Brand on the design of my logo. I was looking for something bold and recognizable at first sight, something new that would look toward the future.

It’s inspired by the Möbius strip, which looks like an infinite loop from inside to outside. It’s a very deceptive shape, almost like two lightning bolts. It also looks like my initials, “LD,” and my number, 77. The negative space reveals an “S” for Slovenia.”

Jordan: What helped you decide to play for the Slovenian national and Olympic teams this summer?

Doncic: “I never had any doubt that I was going to play, unless we went to the NBA Finals. Playing for my country is very special. You do it out of honor. I will play every time I can.”

Jordan: How important is it to enjoy the game while you’re out there?

Doncic: “You need to have fun with it. If you don’t have fun, it’s not really for you. Also, while it’s important to have skill, you should also be a good person both on the court and off the court. It’s important to see the bigger picture.”

The young Slovenian’s passion for basketball and sneaker culture has helped him gain global fame.

And, if he continues to rise at this rate, he’ll soon join his mentor in the elite group of basketball players who have their own signature shoes.