Court Grip

RV6 · Sep 29, 2011

Im not sure this product has been cleared by the NBA. The site says it's approved for NCAA and NFHS, but how exactly can the NBA test for it? And will they?

https://www.facebook.com/MissionBasketball

REEKO_HTOWN · Sep 29, 2011

If the box art ( or whatever art you posted below the pics) has an NBA logo on it then I'm sure it's ok.

What's that pad they use right in front of they scorers table they players rub their shoes on before entering?

RV6 · Sep 29, 2011

REEKO_HTOWN said: ↑

If the box art ( or whatever art you posted below the pics) has an NBA logo on it then I'm sure it's ok.

What's that pad they use right in front of they scorers table they players rub their shoes on before entering?
Click to expand...

That's a good point, but if it is approved by the NBA, it's odd that they wouldn't mention it. More credibility and therefore more sales.

I think the pad is just a wet towel that's folded up .

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RV6 · Sep 29, 2011

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phantoman · Sep 29, 2011

I dont see why this wouldnt be Ok in the NBA. It effectively does the same things the big square tape pads near the announcer table. Helps against the dusty court.

lean · Sep 29, 2011

You get the same effect from wiping the bottom of your sneaker with your hand....

phantoman · Sep 29, 2011

http://www.slamonline.com/online/blogs/stacks-house/2011/09/dwyane-wade-gets-a-grip/

Dwyane Wade Gets A Grip
The Miami guard talks about Court Grip, a product marketed to help improve court traction.

by Kyle Stack / @KyleStack

Dwyane Wade’s offensive game is all about change of direction. Cuts, stutter steps, step backs…all that, as well as perimeter defense, is made tougher to pull off if he’s playing on a dirty court that his shoes can’t grip. Wade now has a way to combat that potential problem with his newest endorsement.

At the Chelsea Piers Sports Complex in Manhattan yesterday, Wade introduced Court Group, an 8 oz. bottle ($14.99 SRP at Foot Locker and Eastbay.com) containing a formula that’s brushed onto a shoe, via a sponge applicator, for improved court traction. The product is made by Mission Athletecare, which bills itself as the first and only athlete-engineered company. Sports stars such as Serena Williams, Steve Nash, David Wright and Mia Hamm endorse Mission’s health care products, which range from lip balm to anti-fungal foot spray.

More than three years of research and development have brought Court Grip to the market. The inspiration for the product was a lack of proper ways for a basketball player to gain better grip on dirty courts. From spitting on their hands and wiping it on their shoes to wet towels to sticky mats, players were left without a viable option for improved court traction, according to Mission-conducted research. “We knew there was a void in the marketplace,” said Mark French, the inventor of Court Grip and president of Mission Basketball.

French discovered during the product’s research phase that race car tires contained certain additives that produced better grip on the road when pressure was applied to them. “What we figured out was if we can make that into an instant-dry formula with seven other active ingredients that make it last longer than anything else on the market, break down dust, all that, is what’s giving you that bite,” French said.

Court Grip is applied by pushing the sponge against the shoe sole to release that formula, which is driven by microscopic nanotechnology. It sounds ultra-tech-y, and it is. But Mission said the formula, which is in liquid form in the bottle but dries as soon as it’s applied, is supposed to last 10-15 minutes of game time. (That obviously depends on how long, in real time, that lasts.) Approved for play at the NBA, NCAA, high school, intramural and youth levels, Court Grip was approved in independent product testing by MGA Research Labs, which used the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration as standards for testing.

Mission also went to New York City-based PACE University for player surveys on the product. Of the 500 basketball players interviewed, 82 percent said that court traction was the number one issue impacting how they played the game. There were also more than 20 NBA and NCAA teams which used Court Grip during the 2010-11 season, as French and others at Mission determined its effectiveness and appropriate bottle design and colors. This writer noticed it at a Washington Wizards shootaround at Madison Square Garden on January 23, when players were using a straight bottle design, compared to the eventual ergonomic look that exists in the final version.

Wade, who along with Mission’s other athletes has an equity in the company, will remain the face of the product long-term. Foot Locker will sell Court Grip in all of its 1,142 U.S. stores with a dedicated merchandising unit stationed next to its basketball sneaker wall. Window displays and customized Dwyane Wade videos, along with Wade’s image on the merchandising unit, make it distinctly his product to endorse.

Wade spoke with SLAMonline about why he believes in Court Grip, what NBA floor always gave him trouble, his feelings about the NBA lockout and more.

SLAM: How often do you slip on the floor in practice and in games?

Dwyane Wade: [Smiles] Let’s see, how long have I been playing basketball? For a long time, ever since I’ve been playing the game. Even now, I play on the best courts in the world. You still go to different places and the courts are dirty. For whatever reason, if it’s because of a concert the night before or if it’s because of a halftime show or a pregame show…the floors are dirty. Even though we have some of the best sneakers, it cannot do anything for the dirty floors. People spit [on their hands], all those things to get extra grip. But those things work for a second. Then you got to do it all over again. So, I wanted to be apart of a product that lasts longer and is easier to use. It took a lot of work behind the scenes to do that but I think we came up with it.

SLAM: What are the floors in the NBA that are notorious for being slippery?

DW: Well, the one that I had [Mission] come up to was my first game when I started wearing [Court Grip] in real games – I was doing it in practice for awhile – was the one in Milwaukee. Where I went to school. So, I always want to go back there and play well. Some days the court allows me, some days it don’t. So, I was able to apply it this one game and I, tell ya, I was moving like I haven’t moved before. And I was really pumped and excited about the product because I was like, yo, this is a place where I had a lot of problems. Mentally, it messes with you. [Court Grip] gave me the traction and the grip that I needed.

SLAM: Have you been injured from slipping on a court before Court Grip came along?

DW: I’m sure I have. No major…I mean, I’ve had major injuries but I’m not saying it was from slipping. But a lot of players…you can pull a lot of groins. You get a lot of groin pulls. You get a lot of pulled muscles from slipping because you’re trying to make a move and you don’t have it underneath you to be able to do it. So, you pull a lot of muscles that way.

SLAM: So, did you wear Court Grip in every game last season?

DW: No, when I needed it. We got a great court in Miami, so I didn’t really need it. When I’m on the road a lot is when I need it. For me, it was something to help develop for, like I was saying, kids, high school, these bad high school floors, AAU floors, these recs. All the recs aren’t like this. [Looks around] So, it was pretty much to help everyone that plays basketball and sports indoors.

SLAM: You mentioned the dirty floors during your games. I imagine at the start of the game, right after the media gets off the floor and right after halftime are the worst times for that.

DW: Yeah, after halftime is the worst. And think about before games, it’s real bad. All the pregame stuff you do; some people have fire. Even in Miami, fire, you do all kinds of stuff. Stuff just coming down on the floor and there’s nobody there to sweep the floor. And some places are very dirty. And you’re like, ‘I want to know how long they’ve been here.’ [Laughs] It’s just real bad.

SLAM: You’re gonna get your teammates involved in using this?

DW: Well, hopefully everyone uses it. It’s just to get a mental edge. It’s not knocking the sneakers that we wear because we have the best. But I think a lot of people will use it because it’s simple to use. And then when you use it you think, ‘It does make a difference.’ It makes a difference in how you stop and how you cut.

SLAM: Yeah, I actually wanted to ask you about that because you were demonstrating a few minutes ago all the offensive moves you make based off cutting, starting and stopping. You have your signature move, what do you call that two-step move you have?

DW: [Smiles] Oh, the two-step? I mean, I guess that’s my signature move right now. I feel like I go through stages where I have a signature move. I guess right now a lot of the kids look at that.

SLAM: Well, you have that and then other moves where you’re posting up or cutting to the hoop. What movements offensively and defensively does this Court Grip help you make?

DW: Let’s just say with the two-step, it’s about changing direction. It’s about going one direction real fast and then the other [direction] fast. If you don’t have the grip, if you don’t have the traction, you’re not gonna be able to do that. You’re not gonna be able to do that as effective where you can do it and still finish strong. The grip enables you to have takeoff, as well. Obviously it helps you on defense and be able to move your feet and slide. The one thing I love about the product and that I wanted to make sure it had was it’s not sticky. You can put it on immediately and you feel the grip. I can feel it. [Shuffles his feet] It stays on way longer than any product there’s been on the market.

SLAM: About the lockout. What have you learned about collective bargaining, labor negotiation, that you weren’t aware of before all this came down?

DW: Ahh, how tedious it all is. You know, sitting in a room and from the outside you think there are these amazing conversations going on. A lot of times, there aren’t. You know, it’s a lot of Kindergarden-type bickering back and forth. To me, it’s a waste of time to point fingers. We’re all in this together to try to build this game. We have to come to a middle [ground] for both sides to be successful. You know, so that’s one thing I was very surprised about.

SLAM: You have so many more years in your career, so is this something you would like to become more involved in as time goes on? Or is it just a turn-off?

DW: I guess it depends. When you go into negotiation with someone, it’s like when you’re trying to have a conversation with somebody and they turn their back on you and they cover their ears. They won’t listen, they won’t talk to you. That’s kinda how negotiations are, a little bit. I don’t want to go to too many of these. Hopefully this is the last one I go to through my career as an athlete.

SLAM: Your sons are old enough now to understand what’s going on. How do you explain to them what’s happening right now?

DW: Yeah, I mean, a little bit. My older son, ‘Dad, why you not playing?’ I just let him know that you know what, Dad wants to play, it’s not that I don’t want to. The owners have decided to lock us out and we’re trying to reach an agreement so that we can all get back on the court again without too much more litigation and labor stuff that’s going on.

SLAM: With LeBron [James] and Chris [Bosh] – a year wiser, more experienced. Anytime someone moves somewhere, that person kind of evolves, just who they are as a person. In what way have you noticed that with LeBron and Chris?

DW: Well, first with Chris, obviously Chris got married. You know, he’s settling into the man he wants to be and the husband he wants to be. I’m happy for him that he got married and found his home. So, you can see the maturity there.

And, LeBron, has overcome a lot. What he went through in one year, there aren’t too many people in the world who can say they endured that. But I think he’s come out of it a better person. He’s in on the joke, as they say. And I think to be apart of seeing him mature at the age of 26 – that’s when I started maturing, as well. It’s kind of cool to see that process.

SLAM: How did the Finals experience affect the Heat’s mentality heading into this season?

DW: I think positively in the sense of it’s only going to drive us. Obviously, it humbles you. Anytime you lose, you get humbled. Whether it’s a regular game or the Finals, you get humbled. And it’s going to drive us. Whenever we get back on the court, we’re going to be driven to get back to that moment again so we can seize it.

SLAM: What do you love about the Jordan Fly Wade?

DW: The Fly Wade part, that’s what I love most. [Smiles] It’s cool. I’ve had sneakers before with Converse. It’s just cool to have a sneaker with a brand that I feel like I grew up apart of for so many years with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. So, I love the product. The first shoe, I thought, was done well and the second was even better. And hopefully we just keep going from there.

SLAM: Do you take inspiration for the shoes from the fashion shows you attend?

DW: Yeah, that’s one thing that we’re really trying to get into now. This is my third year [with Jordan Brand], so they’re getting to know me a little bit, getting to know my personality. Now, we can start taking some of my personality and put it into my show.

SLAM: Like the colorways, or in what other ways?

DW: One thing you try to be is fashion-forward, which the brand is known for. Obviously you think about how the Jordan III had elephant print on it. So, just think about what fashion is – it’s about being fashion-forward. Try to create that and it carries on.

SLAM: Any advertisements or other promotional concepts you have coming up for Jordan Brand?

DW: We got some things. We shot some ads this summer and have some good ads that are coming out. We got some strategic plans to do things. All our partners, we’re still running full steam ahead. My sneaker comes out December 7 – tentatively, that’s the date – and we still going full ahead.
Click to expand...

RV6 · Sep 29, 2011

phantoman said: ↑

I dont see why this wouldnt be Ok in the NBA. It effectively does the same things the big square tape pads near the announcer table. Helps against the dusty court.
Click to expand...

So those things are actual tape pads?

lean said: ↑

You get the same effect from wiping the bottom of your sneaker with your hand....
Click to expand...

I'm going to go with no on this one. I think the point of this is it'll prolong the grip. Using your hand works for how long? 2 or 3 trips down the court, maybe less?

http://www.slamonline.com/online/blogs/stacks-house/2011/09/dwyane-wade-gets-a-grip/

The inspiration for the product was a lack of proper ways for a basketball player to gain better grip on dirty courts. From spitting on their hands and wiping it on their shoes to wet towels to sticky mats, players were left without a viable option for improved court traction, according to Mission-conducted research.

French discovered during the product’s research phase that race car tires contained certain additives that produced better grip on the road when pressure was applied to them. “What we figured out was if we can make that into an instant-dry formula with seven other active ingredients that make it last longer than anything else on the market, break down dust, all that, is what’s giving you that bite,” French said.

Court Grip is applied by pushing the sponge against the shoe sole to release that formula, which is driven by microscopic nanotechnology. It sounds ultra-tech-y, and it is. But Mission said the formula, which is in liquid form in the bottle but dries as soon as it’s applied, is supposed to last 10-15 minutes of game time. (That obviously depends on how long, in real time, that lasts.) Approved for play at the NBA, NCAA, high school, intramural and youth levels, Court Grip was approved in independent product testing by MGA Research Labs, which used the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration as standards for testing.
Click to expand...

I just found that link, so i guess it is approved by the NBA. However, i still think it's clear it's going to give players an advantage, although i'm not sure how much.

In that same link, Wade goes on to say :

So, I was able to apply it this one game and I, tell ya, I was moving like I haven’t moved before. And I was really pumped and excited about the product because I was like, yo, this is a place where I had a lot of problems. Mentally, it messes with you. [Court Grip] gave me the traction and the grip that I needed.
Click to expand...

He may just be trying to boost sales though. It would be interesting to see his stats when he does use it and when he doesn't.

banterer · Oct 2, 2011

Not just tape pads

Hi fellas,

My name is Jorge Julian. I'm the person Howard Beck interviewed for that NY Times piece they did on Wade on Friday.

I saw your posts and questions and just wanted to clear up a couple of things for you. The mats on the side of the courts are not folded up towels nor are they "just tape pads", they are called Slipp-Nott mats. They do look and work similar to tape but our adhesive was developed specifically for athletic shoes as opposed to using it for sticking papers together. The adhesive is anti-microbial and not nearly as aggressive as tape and will therefore only clean the shoe sole as opposed to depositing or leaving anything onto the sole like other products. We've been on the sideline of the NBA courts here, the all-star games and some of the exhibition games in Japan since 1987.

This isn't meant to be a commercial so I will stop here. I just wanted to clear things up for you. We have a blog post addressing the claims of Court Grip at "stickyspot" the official Slipp-Nott blog.

Best of luck to you all in the upcoming season!
Jorge

lean · Oct 3, 2011

RV6 said: ↑

I'm going to go with no on this one. I think the point of this is it'll prolong the grip. Using your hand works for how long? 2 or 3 trips down the court, maybe less?
Click to expand...

Maybe if you're wearing really cheap or worn out sneakers. 2 or 3 wipes a game is plenty, less if they're newer shoes.

RV6 · Oct 3, 2011

lean said: ↑

Maybe if you're wearing really cheap or worn out sneakers. 2 or 3 wipes a game is plenty, less if they're newer shoes.
Click to expand...

I should have said this mostly enhancesthe grip. As long as shoes as relatively new, like theirs, then yes they'll already have solid grip regardless. However, this product is suppose to breakdown dust and enhance grip with pressure. That means out of 2 identical shoes, the one with Court Grip will perform better.

It could also prolong it, but i think that all depends on when it's applied during the game.

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