Utah Jazz: Latest D.O.N Issue #2 leak has fans changing tune

Initial visuals left fans disappointed, but the latest leak of Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell’s second signature shoe shows much more promise.

As Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell itches to get back on the hardwood, he continues to tease the eventual release of his second signature sneaker from Adidas — the D.O.N (Determination Over Negativity) Issue #2.

We saw several leaks during the course of the season, but official shots of the shoe have been made to the public over the past month or so. The first colorway, which is now featured in NBA 2K20, was a primarily lime green look. The initial reception from fans was… rough.

The latest leak comes from Donovan Mitchell himself, via his Instagram story. In said story, Mitchell showcases an extremely unique colorway of the D.O.N Issue #2. Take a look for yourself:

Would you look at that — we’ve got blue, green, orange, pink, purple, and yellow. The midsole splatter is a nice touch, as well as the not-so-hidden messages inside of the tongue and sole. Well done, Adidas.

These are the kind of colorways I want to see on a signature shoe. The overall silhouette feels more like a regular basketball model, but they added a ton of personality to this particular colorway.

After seeing this colorway, it’s become clear that the shoe is slowly growing on Utah Jazz fans. Being a sneakerhead myself, I’ve noticed that this is a common practice when you see the first leak of an upcoming shoe — they go from “ugly” to “eh” real quick.

Aesthetically, I think most will agree that the D.O.N Issue #2 is a downgrade compared to the D.O.N Issue #1. The 23-year-old’s first signature shoe was beloved among the Utah Jazz fan base, with many owning quite an impressive collection.

I, personally, look more towards performance instead of aesthetics when it comes to basketball shoes. The Issue #1’s were more of a middle-of-the-road shoe in terms of performance, so let’s hope for an upgrade in that department with the Issue #2’s.

It’s still so cool to see a Utah Jazz player have a signature shoe deal. Mitchell is the only player in franchise history to have his own shoe, so this is something that the fans take a lot of pride in. They’re proud to represent and rock his kicks.

Donovan Mitchell is going to sell a lot of shoes during his NBA career. His second signature shoe is on the way, and while it didn’t excite fans as much at first, I have a feeling it will be a hot commodity among Utahns.