NBA star launches Sedona-themed Nike sneaker at local McDonald’s

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has a potential second career working the drive-through of the Sedona McDonald’s.

The five-time All-Star was on hand on Friday, May 29, for the launch of his new Nike Book 2 sneakers where fans could buy the limited-edition $155 sneakers before their official June 2 release. The teal shoes match the color of the McDonald’s arches in Sedona.

Fans started lining up at 9:30 p.m. the night before with Phoenix HVAC company owner and basketball coach with the Kicks for Kids Foundation Jerry Moreno first in line to secure his pair.

“No other basketball player has done anything like this,” Moreno said. “Why not be here at something historical?”

Mike Rodriguez of Phoenix, who owns roughly 200 pairs of sneakers, secured his spot as second in line by arriving at midnight with several members of his family in tow.

Rodriguez has been collecting Booker’s shoes since the guard entered the league.

“I got the Bookers from the friends and family, the first ones,” he said. “I’ve been collecting all his shoes since he came into the league.”

When asked why he owns so many pairs, Rodriguez said he didn’t know.

“My wife tells me the same thing. She goes, ‘You’re not even wearing those.’ So now what I do is I donate some to some kids, because I own a childcare in Phoenix. Now, I’m about comfort.”

The hype started building about May 19, when an advertisement from McDonald’s showed Booker hiking in Sedona in a camcorder style reminiscent of found-footage movies like “The Blair Witch Project,” during which Booker notices comically large footprints reminiscent of the McDonald’s mascot Ronald McDonald before a teal basketball drops from the sky, leading Booker to close with a bewildered “Ronald?”

When he comes across the clown sitting on a bench among the red rocks before cutting to the local Sedona McDonald’s franchise’s teal arches.

Moreno also came with a personal mission: Getting Booker to sign a worn-out pair of sneakers belonging to a player on his team whose brother had passed away. He got his wish.

“They’re done, you can’t use them anymore,” he said. “But it means more to him than me.”

The event was months in the making, said Melissa Gregg, McDonald’s area director of operations. It was the result of collaboration between Nike and McDonald’s marketing teams. An estimated 400 people attended the event, which ran from 1 to 4 p.m.