Why Pro Baller Isaiah Stewart Is Betting on Less Shoe

For athletes, being light on your feet isn’t just a nice-to-have. It can mean the difference between winning and losing. And that goes beyond training and strength; it also includes footwear. Unfortunately, many basketball shoes are bulky and restrictive. For some athletes, that works, but Isaiah Stewart wanted something different.

And that’s what he got.

Introducing the Xero Shoes X2. Improving on the first iteration of the shoe, the X2 takes the philosophy of barefoot play and combines it with the agility needed for quick movements. Instead of making shoes more cumbersome, the X2 strips performance down to what the foot actually needs: being low to the ground and moving with the player, not against them.

Already with the brand from the beginning—Stewart launched his version of the X1 in 2025 with a limited-edition Warrior Red colorway—so, when the X2 was announced, the power forward was first in line to try it. “I bring a lot of power to the court, in games and training,” he says. “Most shoes get in the way of that, but not this one. With the X2 I feel low-to-the-court, fast and locked in.”

That locked-in, focused feeling Stewart experiences is all tied to the actual construction of the shoe. The X2 features a foot-shaped toe box for balance and comfort, 12.5mm stack height, and a zero-drop, low-profile outsole for quick cuts and pivots.

Weighing less than 13 ounces in both men's and women’s sizes, the X2 is one of the lightest performance basketball shoes of all time. Of course, that minimalist construction enhances Stewart's play on the court and puts him one step closer to what all athletes are really after: a win.