Sneakerheads, get ready. Jordan Brand just unveiled the Heir Series 2, and it’s dropping worldwide on February 20, 2026. The shoe, developed with input from WNBA stars such as Napheesa Collier, is marketed as the perfect sneaker for female athletes. However, fans have found a striking similarity between the shoes’ exterior design and Reebok’s Angel Reese 1.

The Jordan Heir Series 2’s first glimpse was shared on Thursday. Minnesota Lynx star, Collier, was part of the advert, having signed with the NIKE subsidiary last year in May. A post on X showcased a few glimpses of a few variants from the shoe lines, also featuring Collier. The post featured several cool colorways, including the variant with a black sole and a white external cage.

“Jordan Brand officially unveils its new women’s basketball sneaker, the Heir Series 2 👸🔥,” the post’s caption read.

It was the shoe’s black-and-white colorway that especially caught the fans’ attention. Seemingly, it is strikingly similar to Reese’s shoe, launched in September last year. If you put both the black variants of the shoes side by side, you can see that both shoes are dominated by black from the top, with a white cage embedded in it. While the interiors of both are the same color, red, the front designs are a bit contrasting. The Heir Series 2 has a more pointed front, while Reese’s shoe is a bit rounded.

Both shoes are designed for the same WNBA sneaker market and fall within the same price range. Reebok’s Angel Reese 1s start at $120, while the Heir Series 2 cost $110. Notably, the shoes have some subtle differences as well. For instance, Reese’s shoe has a thin textile upper, while the Heir Series 2 features a thick textile. Moreover, they use different products to cushion their shoes, EMS and Super Float for Reese’s shoe, and Cushlon 3.0 foam for Heir Series 2.

However, the look of the shoe is in debate and has raised questions about whether Jordan Heir Series 2 is copying Reese’s signature shoe. Several fans shared their heated reactions on the X post. Let’s have a look at those.

Sneaker Buzz Turns Into Backlash Ahead of Release

The fans were quick to express their disappointment after the glimpse of the Heir Series 2, drawing comparisons to Angel Reese’s shoe. “Blatant copy and paste of Reebok Angel Reese, Angel 1. Sad,” a fan wrote. “Something is not adding up Phee, why does it look like a replica of Angel 1’s,” another chimed in.

Well, the fans’ frustration is quite justified. They were surely expecting something quite exclusive and unique from the anticipated Heir Series 2. The Heir Series 1 was quite successful after it came out in 2024, and these expectations were quite high for the upcoming sequel. However, with creative similarities to Reese’s signature shoe, the expectation has quickly taken a back seat.

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“Nah @Reese10Angel @Reebok Sue @Jumpman23 NOW, another one wrote. Well, this is a debatable one, as a possible legal action may depend on several factors, including the brand’s creative patent license. And a legal fight can be an option if Reebok believes it is an exact replica. However, for now the comment perfectly captures the disappointment of the fans.

“Yep,” a fan wrote optimistically while replying to a question thrown on X regarding the similarity between Reese’s signature shoe and Jordan’s Heir Series 2. “🤔🤔🤔🤔,” commented another fan after watching the glimpse of the Heir Series 2. Creative similarities in the shoe business aren’t new. There’s been a long list of instances in which brands like Nike, Puma, and Adidas have sued competitors in the industry. However, for Jordan to stick to an old design, especially for a women’s exclusive brand, isn’t quite out-of-the-window thinking from them.

This early fire before the launch of the Heir Series 2 is not comfortable news for Jordan. The brand was emphasizing this product line heavily to carve out a space in the WNBA sneaker market. Reese’s Reebok 1 did a handsome business last year, with all three colorways selling out right away. On the other hand, this criticism of the shoe is a huge disaster for Jordan’s upcoming sneaker, set to hit the market next month.

While the brand has prominent WNBA stars such as Napheesa Collier, it would be interesting to see how the shoe appeals to the fans after this early setback. Moreover, compete with an already established product: Reebok. On top of that, the global impact Reese has had in recent years will be difficult to overcome for Jordan’s Heir Series 2.

We won’t have to wait long to find out whether the fans accept the Heir Series 2 despite allegations of creative similarities with Reese’s shoes.