Crunch Time

It takes four quarters to play a basketball game, but the final quarter will always be the most crucial and intense.

That fourth-quarter mentality is what drove Q4 Sports to create its new line of premium basketball footwear.

“Are you going to leave it all out on the court, or are you going to be lackadaisical and maybe not win?” asks Quintin Williams, Chief Global Designer at Q4. “I’m trying to win. We all trying to win.”

Since hitting the scene in 2016, Q4 has unleashed a lineup of on-court models that’s catching the attention of hoopers around the globe. From its sea-sponge inspired KOMpress cushioning, to the orthotic-mimicking proprietary insole, Q4 is on the innovation fast track.

When Williams set out to create Q4, he identified four elements—team, focus, passion and commitment—that need to be balanced for players to win on and off the court.

As much about basketball as life itself, these four “Elements of the Game” serve as Q4’s mantra.

“We believe that what Q4 stands for is a big thing,” Williams says. “We don’t want the follower [to wear Q4].”

Its models are built for hoopers with distinct abilities—from the quick and lightweight 495 Lo to the sturdy Nforcer. There’s the Millennium Hi (above) that handles just as well indoors as outdoors due to its combination of stability, cushion and durability. “That’s our tank,” Williams says.

The brand is even set to make its debut on the big stage in 2017-18, as Q4 was finalizing deals with NBA players as KICKS went to press.

Time to shine.

Ryne Nelson is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @slaman10.

Photo via Q4