With the Utah Jazz bringing back their more-beloved-over-time "purple mountain" uniforms from the 1990s, second-year power forward Royce O'Neale knew right away he wanted to create a special pair of shoes for the occasion.
As custom shoes have continued to be spotted more and more frequently in recent seasons, Las Vegas-based artist Andrew Lewis has become a go-to resource for nearly 30 players, penning precise portraits and clean, hand-painted artwork atop kicks around the league. He counts another 40 retired players as clients as well.
"This pair was made shortly after the Jazz revealed their Hardwood Classics uniforms to the team," Lewis said.