The Man Who Designed for Icons: Wilson Smith III (Nike, Jordan, Agassi, Serena, LeBron)

In this episode of The Todd Boffo Show, Todd sits down with Wilson Smith III, a legendary Nike designer whose work has literally shaped culture from the ground up. He’s been called The Jackie Robinson of the athletic footwear industry as Nike’s first African American footwear designer. Wilson has collaborated with icons like Michael Jordan, Andre Agassi, Serena Williams, LeBron James, and more, helping to create some of the most celebrated shoes in sports history.

Wilson shares how his architectural background shaped his design philosophy (“shoes are homes for the feet”), the story behind the Air Jordan 17, Air Uptempo and how faith, creativity, and humility guided his 40-year career.

They explore:

How Wilson went from architecture to sneaker design at Nike
Lessons learned from working with Michael Jordan and Serena Williams
The faith and inspiration behind the Air Jordan 17
Why humility and empathy are the foundation of great design
The intersection of creativity, calling, and purpose

Wilson also opens up about his recent honor, having a design studio named after him at PENSOLE Lewis College of Business & Design, the only HBCU dedicated to design.