3 Sneaker Releases That Prove Sean Wotherspoon is Over Nike

You might have heard of Sean Wotherspoon back in 2018, when he created one of the sneaker industry’s breakthrough kicks. Before the iconic Nike Air Max 97/1 dropped in inspiration of the two popular Nike models, Sean Wotherspoon’s first appearance in the sneaker game was in 2013. 

He co-founded Round Two, a Virginia-based sneaker store that allows sneakerheads to sell their kicks without consignment fees. Which is a win-win situation since sneakerheads get to make full profit deals and the store gets to resell sneakers for lower prices than their competitors. Today, Round Two has 7 locations across the US! But Sean Wotherspoon’s legacy doesn’t really stop at his sneaker reselling chain. After dropping his hit Nike collaboration in 2018, everything that happened in 2019 seems to have shifted Wotherspoon in another direction! His identity as a sneaker designer took an entirely different turn from his crazy-party-for-2 Air Max.

How Did Sean Wotherspoon Get Here?

In 2015, Sean started “Round Two The Show” on YouTube, documenting his endeavors in the sneaker game. His steady exposure to wide varieties of sneaker brands and silhouettes had unknowingly been feeding his design passion for sneakers. That, combined with his natural artistic talent, led to his Air Max Day Contest win in 2017! Which was the hype boost that technically started Sean Wotherspoon’s sneaker career. You’ll find a picture of the Air Max 97/1 to your right in case your memory needs refreshing.

Aside from the Nike-infused aesthetic and meticulous attention to detail that these kicks own, they’re worth plenty of cash on resale! Considering that they dropped in 2018 for a retail price of $160, a whopping price premium of 837.5% sets it up at a $1,156 value. Mind you, on AVERAGE. 

To know more about the sneaker industry’s most expensive releases, click on this ultimate sneaker guide!

Sean Wotherspoon After Air Max 97/1

Although it’s been two years since the Air Max 97/1 dominated the sneaker spotlight, Sean Wotherspoon’s sneaker journey is far from over! The iconic designer released a triple collaboration with Japanese brands Asics and Atmos under Gel-Lyte iii in 2020. Wotherspoon even expressed his joy in co-creating his next big pair with Atmos director Hirofumi Kojima. 

After years of Adidas, Nike, and Jordan Brand battling it out for the sneaker throne, new brands are having their share of central hype. In fact, 2020 was the year of Japanese sneakers. Asics being one of the most popular Japanese brands to release solo and collaborative sneakers all throughout the year! Even legendary brands like Air Jordan and Nike Dunk have persisted to recreate Tokyo-inspired OG pairs. Top mentions include the Jordan 1 Silver, the Jordan 1 Biohack, and the Nike SB Dunk Sashiko.

Gel-Lyte iii

The Wotherspoon version of the Gel Lyte iii features multi-colored corduroy panels (major Air Max 97/1vibes!) with a one-of-a-kind split tongue. The red and yellow Asics side stripes are also removable, in case you wanted to flex your Wotherspoon edge without them. And the final touch is the Atmos branding bursting out from the left pair’s heel. The collaboration dropped in June 2020 for a retail price of $165 and is currently reselling for $470 on average.

Adidas SuperEarth

After showing off his velcro power with Asics and Atmos, Sean Wotherspoon took on adidas Superstar! He actually transformed Superstar to SuperEarth to reinforce his eco-friendly sneaker approach. The SuperEarth pair is made entirely from recycled materials with aging flowers symbolic of our feet’s journey in life. Pretty deep stuff, huh? Sean Wotherspoon has proven to be majorly influenced by nature, rather than material. Which steers his creative mission away from traditional Nike silhouettes that incorporate heavy materials like leather and mesh into their designs. However with Nike’s famous Move to Zero campaign, there’s a chance Sean Wotherspoon might choose to revisit his first collaboration!

Although this pair showed high value around the time of its release, it now resells only slightly more than its retail cost. 

Adidas ZX8000 SuperEarth

Sean Wotherspoon seems to be really liking his Adidas collaboration! Particularly his SuperEarth innovation, considering that he’s planning on investing in it again. Come to look at his second SuperEarth attempt, it looks an awful lot like the Adidas version of Nike’s What The Dunk, doesn’t it? Or at least it worships chaotic mashups the same! Keep in mind that Sean’s first creation was a mashup of two Nike models. So it’s pretty much in his designer’s DNA to combine silhouettes that he finds attractive. 

The Adidas ZX8000 SuperEarth pair is expected to drop in February 2021. 

Is Sean Wotherspoon Really Over Nike?

Is this another “Kanye Leaves Nike for Adidas” bombshell?! Well, we’re not entirely sure given that Sean Wotherspoon is not technically in a partnership with Adidas or Asics. Although he did mention in an interview in March 2019 that his Nike collaboration “will not be receiving a second iteration after all.” We bet he’s still weighing his options before committing full-time to one major brand. And as much as we hate having to wait for a new pair like the Air max 97/1, we’re all in for Sean Wotherspoon “spreading his wings again”!

Where Does Nike Stand in This?

Well, the same way Kanye left Nike to liberate his creativity, Sean has taken some space from the Swoosh empire to “spread his wings.” Makes you wonder what kind of partnership program Nike’s running over at HQ! This is the second major time in five years that Adidas makes up in creative freedom what it lacks in hype and sale. Curious to know what we mean by that? Check out the Three Stripes’ top recent collaborations here!

However with Nike pursuing a creative environmental plan, especially with its Dunk creations, might re-attract Sean Wotherspoon’s attention. Air Jordan has also stepped out of its traditional “leather-faced” comfort zone to keep up with the times! For instance, Jordan’s first collaboration with a Latin artist will drop this December under “J Balvin Jordan 1 Tie Dye.” Moreover, Jordan only recently dropped a rare What The Jordan silhouette. So it looks like Nike’s pushing to impress the modern generation’s lust for creative freedom. Because frankly, it’s a shame to see the number one sports brand lose another talent to creative differences.