SAN ANTONIO – One day after the Spurs clinched a playoff spot with a win over the Sacramento Kings, internationally known shoe designer Jake Danklefs got a call from a Spurs equipment manager -- the team wanted 15 pairs of throwback-themed playoff shoes ready by Friday.
With simple instructions to incorporate the Spurs' retro fiesta colors, Danklefs picked up the shoes Thursday morning and got to work.
Danklefs said his small team worked 18 hours straight and helped him complete 18 pairs of shoes -- including extras requested by Manu Ginobili, Danny Green and Rudy Gay.
"I knew it was going to be tough, but I knew that we had to design the shoes within the time constraint," Danklefs said. "Shoes take days to make, or at least hours and hours and with this I knew that I had to design the shoes with the time restraints in mind and just get everything done with the aesthetic they were looking for."
Playoff kicks. #GoSpursGo pic.twitter.com/Aww8s1swtQ
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) April 13, 2018
Danklefs is a full-time shoe designer. He's worked with superstars including Lebron James, P. Diddy, Jay-Z and Dwyane Wade, to name a few.
In 2013, James asked Danklefs for a set of kicks commemorating his team's win over the Spurs. Danklefs said James asked for the shoes before James and the Miami Heat had even beaten the Spurs for the title.
When the Heat won the 2013 NBA Finals, Danklefs created the shoes for James, who went on to wear them on the cover of Sports Illustrated Kids.
As a San Antonio native, his loyalty lies with the Spurs.
Despite his celebrity clientele, Danklefs said he'll take orders from just about anyone and is booked with paid-in-full orders about nine months out. He said he prices his shoes based on the design and the completion date people ask for.
The 33-year-old shoe designer said he will honor requests to make "one-of-ones," and no matter how much someone pays, he will not duplicate a shoe that's intended to be a one-of-a-kind.
"That's the whole point of getting custom work done," Danklefs said.
Danklefs said he became interested in shoes at a young age and would sketch shoe designs that his mother would send to big brands like Nike. He said his drive to create was fueled by his inability to find certain shoes because they were exclusively created for athletes or custom made.
"When I realized -- I have this artistic background and I want to have shoes that I can't find, so I might as well make what I call a 'poor man's version,'" Danklefs said.
While Danklefs is booked nine months out, he will sometimes design shoes or a single shoe for charity.
One of Tim Duncan's shoes with a Danklefs twist is currently up for auction on the Silver and Black Give Back website. The SBGB organization is the Spurs' charitable arm.
Bids for the decorative shoe will be accepted through April 22.
Those who want to buy a pair of shoes from Danklefs should contact him through his website.