Earlier this month when the Houston Rockets visited Toronto to play the Raptors, adidas Canada put together a special evening event to celebrate rookie Jalen Green who is the highest-drafted Asian American in the NBA and the third Filipino player to ever make it to the league. The evening featured traditional Filipino businesses and a special pair of custom sneakers as a gift.

To welcome Green to Toronto, a city with a high Pinoy population and a huge basketball fan base, adidas Canada held a Filipino Night Market at Harriet’s rooftop lounge downtown. The evening featured several Filipino-Canadian businesses including Ruru Baked, Auntie’s Supply and Paraluman Flora.

Green was then presented with a special gift; a special pair of adidas Crazy BYWs, customized by Canadian sneaker designer Jack The Ripper.

The shoes pay homage to Green’s Pinoy Heritage. Featuring a white upper to match its Boost heel, the kicks boast the colours of the Filipino flag throughout, with the iconic sun and stars around the lower laces. They also feature a JG logo, the number 4 (the number that Green will wear next season) and the 559 area code for Fresno, California, the city where Green spent the brunt of his childhood.

While the Houston Rockets finished dead last in the NBA’s standings, Green was one of the team’s few bright spots. After an initial slow start to the season, Green was one of the league’s top players in the post All-Star Break stretch, averaging 22.1 points and shooting 47.6% from the floor, scoring at least 30 points in six of his last seven games.