Detroit Lions' Glover Quin Talks Sneakers, Connects And Kd
When you're told you can't have something it makes you want it a whole lot more. Ask any guy who got rejected by a mega babe, or ask Glover Quin. The starting safety for the Detroit Lions pined for Air Jordans as a kid, but couldn't scratch the scrilla together to cop them, so as soon as he got drafted into the NFL he headed straight for the mall. His closet is now overflowing with MJ grails and he's even opening his mind to other brands. We grabbed some talk time with Glover, and he had some intriguing info on how athletes with cash to burn get their pre-release Jordans and what he would do if he was Kevin Durant right now.
What’s going on, Glover? What did you do today?
I’m good, just been at work all day.
You call football work?
[Laughs] Yeah, definitely. It’s work, for sure. The week is what’s work, training and meetings – the game days are what’s fun.
True, true. We’ve heard you’re a bit of a sneakerhead. It’s not the size of the collection that matters, it’s what you do with it, but can you give us an idea about how many pairs you’re stocking?
Right now, I’ve probably got around 150. A lot of Jordans. A lot of Jordans! I try to be diverse, but I always come back to the Js.
Where do you keep them stored?
In my closet I have a nice shoe collective wall. Some of them I keep in the box on a separate wall. Some of ‘em I keep in what I call ‘the archive’, they’re the ones I have extra pairs of and don ’t wear straight away. When Js come out and I like them a lot, I get two or three pairs and just keep some for a long time.
Which models have you triple copped?
I’m a real big fan of the 11s. Every time a pair of the 11s come out, I’ve gotta have a few – the Breds, the Cool Greys, the Gammas, the Concords. I’m ready for this year’s to come out. I like the 3s, the White or Black Cement Greys. It’s hard to say, because I like a lot of Jordans and have a lot. I’m a 3s, 4s and 5s guy.
Why do you love Jordans so much?
I loved Jordans as a kid but I couldn’t really afford them. I didn’t get my first pair of Jordans until I was in college. It was a pair of the Fire Red 5s. That was the first pair I bought for myself. When I made it to the NFL, I just took advantage of it (the money). I got all the ones that I always wanted but could never have.
Who hooks you up with them?
I order them online, I get some from Flight Club. I have a shoe connect who works at Champs Sports. With shoes I know I really want, I make sure I get them. I don’t do a lot of the independent shoe connects who go to China and get the shoes, because I like authentic stuff. You just never know if they’ll be legit for sure. I love sneakers but I’m not a guy that needs to be super exclusive and have it two months before it comes out. Let me get it when it releases so I can get it from a credible place. Some of the nicer looking ones, I don’t even hardly wear ‘em anyway so there’s no point getting them early just to sit in the closet.
Do you know people who send someone over to the factory to get them early?
Oh yeah, I know a few guys who do that. We had a guy in our locker room yesterday and he had the white Jordan 11s that are coming out for Christmas. It’s August! The shoes don’t release for another four months and you’ve got ‘em already? He said some shoe connect he knows actually went to China for him. It’s what this Chinese guy does, he goes there and brings them back.
I wonder how they get them. If they’re samples or if they’ve got some moles working inside the factory. Who else has got great sneaker collections in the NFL?
Oh man, a lot of guys do. My friend Kareem Jackson plays for the Houston Texans, he has a major collection as well. A lot of them can afford them now when they couldn’t before. I’m adventuring into other types of shoes, I still get my Jordans but I’m trying to expand on my collection.
What other brands are you stocking?
I have some designer shoes. I rock some Balenciagas and some Louis Vuittons. I’m kind of a loyal brand guy. Where I’m from, it seems like it’s either Louis Vuitton or Gucci. I don’t have any Gucci, I kind of feel like I’d be cheating on Louis Vuitton if I did. I’ve got a couple of pairs of Christian Louboutins. Some adidas stuff, some Allen Iversons, a few pairs of LeBrons, a couple of Kobes. I don’t have any Kevin Durants yet, I gotta get me a couple of those.
Yeah, the KDs have been huge lately. Do you think Kevin Durant could be successful with Under Armour?
Yeah, I’ve heard about this, it’s a . Obviously Kevin Durant will make a lot of money if he goes, but I don’t know how it will sit with people. That’s just because I don’t see a lot of guys walking around sporting Under Armour shoes. Under Armour to me is more like a football cleat. I don’t see guys going, ‘Hey I got these Under Armour sneakers and I can wear them with some nice jeans and a shirt.’ With the KDs, they’re Nike, so I see a lot of people rock ‘em that way. I just don’t know if it’s the same with the design and prestige of Under Armour.
I guess that’s what Under Armour are trying to change, and they want Durant spearhead that change in perception.
Yeah. I’m a Nike guy, I have a deal with Nike. But Under Armour offers more money and merchandise than Nike do. But to me I’m sitting here thinking, Under Armour may give me more but I don’t want to wear their stuff. I’d rather take less money and merchandise, but get it from Nike because I want to wear it. My kids are gonna wear the Nike stuff, my wife is gonna wear it, it’s gonna be more beneficial to me.
Good point. So, if you’re Kevin Durant right now, do you take the Under Armour deal or do you stay with Nike for less money – assuming they don’t match the offer.
At the end of the day, he’s gotta get his money, and it’s a business deal. But I would say go with Nike. I feel like once you get to a certain threshold of money – the difference in 250 mil and 300 mil – your lifestyle isn’t gonna be that different. He’s also got a new contract in basketball coming up, so that’s another major deal. For me, prestige-wise, coolness-wise, I would stay with Nike. But he would be the biggest athlete at Under Armour, so maybe that’s something he wants. Nike have got Kobe, LeBron, the top ball guys. Adidas have a few too, but Under Armour have none of ‘em. He may like Under Armour though, he might like rocking it, he might be able to add some coolness to it and people wouldn’t have a problem rocking it.
What about your own game wear, what cleats do you use?
I wear some Nike football cleats, like the Vapors, Flywires and some lacrosse Huarache cleats.
What’s the difference between lacrosse and football cleats?
Not much I don’t think. They look cooler. They technically say the Huaraches aren’t football cleats, but Lacrosse is played on grass too, and the players run, stop, start and cut just like we do.
Do many other NFL players wear Huaraches?
I think some do. Some guys on my team wear the Huarache cleats. Some others just wear what they’re given. Some guys venture out and find something else too. The Huaraches are hard to get because they’re so popular in Lacrosse.
You like keeping your kids laced in some fresh kicks, what do you love to see them wearing?
I like to get them whatever I get for myself. That started before they were even born. Every time I got myself a pair I would get my first son the same pair. I’m not a big fan of the Jordan 6s, but my wife likes them and they look cool on little kids. So there may be some 6s that come out that I don’t get for myself but I’ll get them for my kids.
Selfless! And is your wife into sneakers too?
She wasn’t a massive Jordan fan, but I had to bring her over to the dark side. She’s definitely upped her collection!