Exclusive: Knicks Star OG Anunoby on Being a Champ and Styling His Skechers

Listen, I’m a hardcore Celtics fan and sneakerhead. So, when an invite showed up in my inbox to attend a Skechers event celebrating OG Anunoby and the Knicks’ championship, I had my reservations. But cooler heads prevailed, and I made a reservation. I can be mature and step outside my own team and brand allegiances to recognize a story that deserves to be told, and I thought this fit the bill. OG was the first player to ever win a chip in the NBA wearing Skechers, after all. Plus, above all else, this event was for the kids, supporting three impactful nonprofits, including MSG’s own Garden of Dreams.

When I arrived at Skechers’ beautiful showroom on 5th Avenue, I encountered a group of probably 25 kids and teens playing Pop-A-Shot and anxiously awaiting their meet and greet with Knicks star OG Anunoby. It brought a smile to my face imagining how exciting this must be for them, meeting one of their idols and getting some free gear from his sneaker sponsor. What a cool experience, and kudos to Garden of Dreams, SCAN-Harbor, and Children’s Aid for the work they’re doing to brighten the lives of all the kids and families in their respective programs.

As I walked around the showroom before the event began, I was reminded just how vast the Skechers product line is. We’re so conditioned in the sneaker world to focus on like the top 5 hottest things at any given moment and nothing else, but this brand has something for everyone, and when I say something, I mean they have like 12 different shoes that fit your every need for your entire lifespan. This mesh runner even stopped me in my tracks for a double-take.

There was a beautiful spread of snacks and drinks, but upon approaching, I realized all the cupcakes had Knicks logos on them. I’m very superstitious, and at the time, I was not trying to do anything that would cause the universe to allow Jaylen Brown to be traded, so I had some restraint. In hindsight, I should have just had a cupcake. Paul George and picks?? Really?!

Anyways, it was time for the media members to sit down and chat with OG Anunoby, so I went into the press room and reminded myself not to out myself as a Celtics fan or ask if he thought Tatum rupturing his Achilles last year opened the door for the Knicks to win a title. Don’t say that, Drew.

Our quick conversation was great, and OG couldn’t be a nicer guy. Outside of the bits I’ll include below, we chatted about pet parenting, Martha Stewart, and his plans for the offseason. One thing we did not discuss, as requested by Skechers, was his upcoming signature sneaker that was announced after the Finals and confirmed with a statement from Skechers President Michael Greenberg: “OG embodies the spirit of not only Skechers Performance but the entire philosophy of Skechers as The Comfort Technology Company. It’s too early to share specific details, but we do have a signature shoe in the works. Anyone, anywhere who wants to play like OG knows they need Comfort that Performs.”

I’m guessing they didn’t want us hyping up the brand’s second NBA signature sneaker, after Joel Embiid's JE1, prematurely while they were about to drop OG’s now-iconic Knicks colorway PE he wore for the series-shifting tip-in heard around the world. Well, the OG PE dropped via pre-order and immediately sold out, so welcome to the world of sneaker hype, we’re on to the next big thing. No word on when OG’s own sneaker silhouette will drop with Skechers, but expect that in the next year or two. In the meantime, check out my conversation with the champ himself and go try on some Skechers next time you need comfort that performs.

DREW LONDON: Was it a coincidence that you had the best play of the NBA Finals wearing your upcoming Knicks PE or did they give you the extra boost you needed to sink the tip-in?

OG ANUNOBY: I love the color, and I always think if you look nice, you play nice. The shoes are great; sleek and strong but also light and durable.

DL: As you get more and more PEs and eventually a signature sneaker, does it make it more stressful to pick what you’re going to wear for any given game? Do you choose in the moment or do you plan 3 or 4 games ahead based on the opponent, home/away, what jersey you guys are wearing, etc.?

OG: A lot of times, I’ll ask our equipment manager Kyle what colors we’re wearing on a road trip coming up, and he’ll be like, ‘Blue, blue, white, blue, white, white.” Once I know the uniforms, I’ll know what shoes I’m packing. Some colorways I can wear with any uniform, and some I’ll only wear with whites.

DL: When you’re choosing which model you want to play in that night, or maybe which direction you want to go in with your next PE, what factor do you look for first? Look, feel, tech?

OG: Mainly comfort, and luckily all of the Skechers models are very comfortable. After that, it goes to look and feel, maybe a colorway I want to wear that night with a certain jersey we’re wearing. Those are the main things for me.

DL: Before you signed with Skechers, did any other players around the league recommend the brand to you?

OG: First, I noticed them just paying attention to the league, and then playing against people wearing Skechers. They really caught my eye. Then, when I became teammates with Julius Randle, he told me how great they were. Later, I eventually tried them on for myself, and he was telling the truth, they are amazing. I’m really happy I did.

DL: What was the reaction you got in the city after wearing the work boot-inspired pair during the Finals?

OG: People were really excited. It’s a working city, it’s a tough, gritty city, and the shoe really embodies that. So, people thought it was cool, meant a lot to them.

DL: Did you feel tougher wearing them?

OG: Yeah. [Laughs] I felt tougher for sure.

DL: What’s been more grueling, the playoff grind or the press tour after winning the championship?

OG: Well, the playoff grind is spaced out. [Laughs] The press tour is immediate and at… interesting times of the day. It’s been fun though, a really cool experience.

Following our interview, OG gave the kids in attendance a really cool experience, too. He sat for a Q&A session where they could ask all of their burning questions, then took time with each kid to shoot photos and sign autographs. We get wrapped up in sneakers and basketball, so it was nice to see what an immense impact winning a championship has off the court, too. This was a moment all of these kids will remember forever, and seeing how happy it made them will be something I never forget, either.

Drew London

Drew oversees content at Sole Retriever and hates writing in the 3rd person soooo I'm going to stop. I've written for countless blogs and magazines, from Complex to XXL and everywhere in between. Spent a long time in LA, running content and working on branded collabs at The Hundreds. Now, I'm back home on the East Coast freezing my ass off. Email me at drew@soleretriever.com with scoops, story ideas, and size 13 heat.