{"id":324599,"date":"2013-08-19T12:41:18","date_gmt":"2013-08-19T17:41:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=324599"},"modified":"2022-09-12T18:27:46","modified_gmt":"2022-09-12T23:27:46","slug":"hard-in-the-paint-a-history-of-georgetown-centers-with-sneaker-heat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/hard-in-the-paint-a-history-of-georgetown-centers-with-sneaker-heat\/","title":{"rendered":"Hard in the Paint: A History of Georgetown Centers with Sneaker Heat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Donning the grey and blue is an honor just about every prep player dreams of. For the past three decades, Georgetown<\/strong> has served as a powerhouse in the college hoops realm. While the mid-90s saw the capital city squad showcase guards like Allen Iverson and Victor Page, the Hoyas have a long history of great big men. From Patrick Ewing in the early 80s to recent standouts like Greg Monroe and Roy Hibbert, G\u2019Town has produced its share of prominent post players. As we countdown the days til the release of a signature shoe from one of its most famed centers, we take a look back at the big three that left the firmest footsteps on the Big East and the NBA.<\/p>\n

Patrick Ewing<\/h2>\n

During his days in DC, Patrick Ewing<\/strong> famously wore Nikes on his feet and his sleeve. Years before one and done was the norm, Ewing was one of the first freshman to be featured as a starter on the varsity team. He\u2019d take Georgetown to the NCAA title game three times over the course of four seasons, winning it all in \u201884 against Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Cougars.<\/p>\n

While the Fab 5\u2019s unofficial endorsement of the Nike Air Force Max and Flight Huarache would see attention and sales a decade later, Patrick Ewing and the Hoyas were becoming the scholar spokesman for Swooshed sneakers in the early \u201880s. Letting their game speak as opposed to ad placement, Ewing laced up the likes of the Nike Air Legend and Air Terminator High<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Nike Air Terminator High “Georgetown”\n

<\/p>\n

Despite donning Nikes for his college career, Patrick Ewing signed the dotted line with Three Stripes once turning pro. Big market, big name, big game, Pat\u2019s feet filled out the likes of the adidas Attitude High<\/strong> and Conductor<\/strong>. The hefty high tops took well to the NYC colors, coating the padded leather and thick rubber renditions over the course of the mid to late 80s.<\/p>\n photo via Celtic Nation\n

Patrick\u2019s stripes faded in the end of the decade as the big man left adidas and launched his own Ewing Athletics<\/strong> brand. While signature shoes had been synonymous with big brands since the days of Bob Cousy, Chuck Taylor and Rod Laver, Patrick Ewing was a maverick in the sense of leaving a major supplier to start his own shoe company. The Ewing line graced #33\u2019s feet for much of his most memorable play in the early to mid 90s and has seen retro prominence as of late.<\/p>\n photo via SI Tumblr<\/a>\n

The late 90\u2019s saw Ewing switch shoes and eventually switch teams. Patrick shelved his shoe venture, starting the \u201896-\u201997 season in Nikes. Much like his days at Georgetown, Patrick\u2019s return to the Swoosh saw team friendly takes on center shoes as well as bolder models like the Nike Air Max Battle Force<\/strong>, Air Vis Zoom Uptempo<\/strong> and Air Big Flyer Force<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Dikembe Mutombo<\/h2>\n photo via GU Hoyas<\/a>\n

Dikembe Mutombo<\/strong> moved to America to become a doctor but ended up operating on opposing offenses. Serving as a resident of \u201cRejection Row,\u201d Mutombo teamed up with Alonzo Mourning for one of the most fearsome front courts to ever take the hardwood.<\/p>\n

Mutombo made the most of his college stay, earning degrees in both linguistics and diplomacy. While he didn\u2019t speak English upon his arrival, it soon became one of the nine languages he’d go on to speak fluently. Adding to the academic accolades, he also interned for Congress and the World Bank. He stayed busy on the basketball court too, blocking shots in the Nike Air Force V<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Nike Air Force V\n

<\/p>\n image via Mis Zapas<\/a>\n

Much like Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo<\/strong> signed with adidas once in the NBA, though he started his rookie season in Nikes. While Patrick saw his share of striped sneakers, Dikembe received the official signature treatment from adidas with the aptly named adidas Mutombo<\/strong>. Denver hues graced his signature shoes, tying in his team colors with his African heritage.<\/p>\n photo via The Smoking Section<\/a>\n

Deke doubled down in Denver with the launch of the adidas Mutombo 2<\/strong>. This model proved more modern and aggressive than the playful original, still packing a high-top build but focused more around the new Nuggets color scheme. Later moving to Atlanta, Dikembe would don other silos from adidas, namely the EQT BB Support<\/strong>.<\/p>\n photo via Upper Playground\n

The late \u201890s would see Dikembe switch back to Nike. Still an All-Star, the center would rock team takes like the Nike Air Team Max Zoom II<\/strong> and Air Team Max Full Court<\/strong>. The latter would serve as a favorite for years to follow.<\/p>\n photo via Yao Ming Mania<\/a>\/Sports.163.com<\/a>\n

Mutombo\u2019s last NBA games were played in PEAK<\/strong>. Deke was one of many players on a Rockets roster that sported Chinese labels, benefiting from the exposure associated with teammate Yao Ming. Like other athletes, Dikembe traveled overseas as an ambassador of both the brand and the sport.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Alonzo Mourning<\/h2>\n photo via SI Kids<\/a>\n

Winter proved best time for a block party in DC during the early \u201890s, with Alonzo Mourning<\/strong> and Dikembe throwing one a couple times each week.<\/p>\n

Mourning made the jump from prep player of the year to NCAA superstar at Georgetown, patrolling the paint in the best from Nike. Like another #33 before him, Zo was an ambassador of high tops, wearing Force camp favorites like the Nike Air Force III<\/strong>, Air Force 180<\/strong> and Air Force STS<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Nike Air Force STS\n

<\/p>\n photo via SI Vaul<\/a>t\n

While other centers jumped brands, Alonzo Mourning<\/strong> stay true to the Swoosh his entire career. As a newbie in Charlotte, Zo continued to support the Force line, rocking the strapped up Nike Air Force High<\/strong> and the bubbly Air Strong High<\/strong>. He even switched his style up in the \u201895 All-Star Game, going with the Air Max2 Uptempo<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

During his days in Miami, Alonzo enjoyed the perks of the late \u201890s signature boom. The Nike Air Alonzo<\/strong> released in 1997, sporting a super high, yet sleek build. While he\u2019d lace the likes of the Air Vis Zoom Uptempo<\/strong> and other marquee models from Nike, he\u2019d return to PE pairs of the Air Alonzo during his short stay with Nets and championship comeback to the Heat.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Which Georgetown Center Had the Best Shoes?<\/h2>\n photo by Getty via tieba.baidu.com<\/a>\n

[polldaddy poll=7332388]<\/p>\n

Lead image via SI Vault<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Donning the kente cloth is an honor just about every prep player dreams of. For the last three decades, Georgetown has served as a powerhouse in the college hoops realm. While the mid-90s saw the capital city squad showcase guards like Allen Iverson and Victor Page, the Hoyas have a long history of great big men. From Patrick Ewing in the early 80s to recent standouts like Greg Monroe and Roy Hibbert, G\u2019Town has produced its share of prominent post players. As we countdown the days til the release of a signature shoe from one of its most famed centers, we take a look back at the big three that left the firmest footsteps on the Big East and NBA.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2415,"featured_media":324734,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[618],"tags":[1203953,1215120,1209196,1208277],"cultivate_rss":[],"class_list":{"2":"type-post"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHard in the Paint: A History of Georgetown Centers with Sneaker Heat | Snkrs Day<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Where to buy Hard in the Paint: A History of Georgetown Centers with Sneaker Heat shoes. 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