NBA ALL-STAR '24
Air Jordan
Custom Looks Fit For All-Stars
Role: Illustrator
The Brief: Create bespoke illustrated portraits of four NBA All-Stars — Luka Dončić, Bam Adebayo, Paolo Banchero, and Jayson Tatum — to accompany custom Air Jordan apparel for All-Star Weekend.
Problem: Each player was receiving a custom-branded Air Jordan jumpsuit and bomber jacket designed by Taller de Rafa's in-house agency FyveSenses. The illustrations needed to match the level of craftsmanship in the garments — personal, premium, and something the players would actually want to keep.
Insight: The most impactful athlete portraits don't just capture likeness — they capture energy. Drawing from anime-inspired illustration, each portrait could feel dynamic and aspirational rather than static and photographic. The style needed to feel collectible, like something you'd frame — not just brand collateral.
Design Intent: I illustrated four anime-inspired portraits, each printed on 5x7 inch cards and presented directly to the players alongside their custom looks. The initial concepts drew from the end sequence of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 — bold linework, dramatic poses, and a sense of movement even in a still image. Art direction by Genesis Valleon.
Outcome: Illustrations delivered to four of the NBA's biggest stars at All-Star Weekend, extending Air Jordan's brand storytelling through original art rather than photography.
Drag illustration to see more, or click the smaller ones to see full-size
In this carousel you can see the design work put in by Taller de Rafa to bring these custom All-Star jackets to life.
Each jacket features stars denoting each player's number of All-Star appearances.
See more of their work
on Instagram.
Below you can see some sketches form the graveyard. The initial illustrations were inspired by the end sequence from season one of Jujutsu Kaisen. You can click into each image to make it larger.
