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North Andover, MASS (October 23,
2006) – It’s good to be in Dwyane Wade’s shoes. In
the past year, the Miami HEAT guard unveiled his
first-ever Converse signature shoe, helped win the NBA
championship title, took home the Finals MVP trophy and
was a tri-captain for the USA Basketball team at the
World Championship of Basketball in Asia. Converse and
Wade hope to start a similar path for the 2006-2007
season by once again launching a new performance
basketball shoe bearing his name.
As the Miami HEAT open their title-defending season on
October 31 against the Chicago Bulls, Wade will take the
court wearing the Converse WADE 1.3 – a new signature
shoe that improves upon the performance and comfort of
the original WADE shoe Converse launched last year.
“The excitement coming into this season is seeing if we
can do it all again. I always hope to play better than
the year before and continue to improve my game. Last
year we launched my first-ever signature shoe, and this
season we’ve improved the original and created the WADE
1.3. Converse is working with me to build on something
good and make it better,” said Dwyane Wade. “The WADE
1.3 is sleek and understated like my first shoe, but it
features new design elements and details specific to
last season and my life off the court.”
The Miami HEAT will receive their NBA Championship rings
at the season opener at American Airlines Arena. For
that game only, Wade will wear a special, limited
edition black/gold colorway. The sockliner of the shoe
reads “Any More Doubters?” signifying the key motivator
driving Wade to succeed. The shoe also features “34.7”
on two triangular pieces on the shoe which signify
Dwyane’s points per game average in the last season’s
Finals.
After the opening game, Wade will wear a new
black/white/red colorway of the WADE 1.3. The midfoot is
constructed of soft and supple black nubuck with a
crocodile-embossed pattern and is finished off with a
white patent leather toe and durable white synthetic
leather collar. The shoe’s triangular patches read “FC”
to represent “Flash Crew,” the name adopted by Wade and
his inner circle of friends and family. The tongue
features Wade’s number “3” and the soft notch in the
heel features Converse’s Wade logo.
“Converse is acknowledging Dwyane’s superior
accomplishments last season by launching the WADE 1.3 to
improve upon and compliment his original signature shoe.
To begin the next chapter of Dwyane’s career, Converse
has planned a series of products which will roll out
throughout the season,” said Ric Wilson, Converse’s
Global Director of Sports Marketing. “Dwyane has built a
tremendous fan base that supports him in every way,
whether it’s cheering him on, wearing his jersey or
lacing up in his signature shoes. Converse will provide
his fans with the opportunity to show their enthusiasm
for Dwyane with new footwear and apparel products that
speak to his unique style.”
The WADE 1.3 is lighter than the original WADE signature
shoe. It is constructed of non-stretch synthetic
materials to enhance the fit and feel of the shoe. The
sockliner has incorporated PoronŽ pods in the heel and
forefoot to improve the ride of the shoe, both on the
court and off. The collar features different densities
of foam for a better fit and increased stability.
The Converse WADE 1.3 will roll out in various colorways
through the end of 2006. It will retail for MSRP at $100
at Footlocker, Finish Line, Footaction, Champs, select
independent retailers and online at www.converse.com.
The shoe’s two launch colorways include a
black/white/red and a black/gold colorway.
Converse will continue the momentum around Wade by
launching the WADE 2.0 signature shoe and the first-ever
apparel line designed around Wade’s on- and off-court
styles at the 2007 NBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas.
Established in 1908, the Converse brand has built a
reputation as “America’s Original Sports Company”™ and
has been associated with a rich heritage of legendary
shoes such as the Chuck TaylorŽ All StarŽ shoe, the Jack
PurcellŽ shoe and the One StarŽ shoe. Converse was the
first basketball shoe to ever make contact with the
court in 1917. Soon after, Converse gained iconic status
with the creation of the Chuck Taylor All Star shoe,
which went unmatched through five decades of
professional basketball.
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