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Wang Haibo shows off a couple of his customized and redesigned sneakers. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Wang Haibo, a sneaker designer in Zhuji, Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang province, has customized sneakers for more than 10 Chinese Basketball Association players, including former NBA player Donatas Motiejūnas, local media reported on June 1.

Wang previously worked as a bank clerk and had no painting skills until he changed his career to be a sneaker designer.

Zhuji, the host site of the 2020-2021 CBA season, boasts a strong basketball culture, which inspired many people like Wang to fall in love with the sport while they were children.

However, a severe injury shifted Wang's focus from playing to designing sneakers. In 2018, he went to Beijing to learn from China's first group of sneaker designers and started to make his own modifications to shoes.

"I bought seven or eight pairs of shoes every month to try my hand at it. It's funny to look back on the days when many of my friends were 'forced' to contribute their sneakers for me to practice," Wang said. 

In 2019, Wang quit his steady and well-paying job as a bank clerk to become fully committed to designing sneakers. His courage and devotion paid off, with fans of his designs growing on the internet.

In 2020, he received an order from CBA rising star Chen Peidong of the Shandong Heroes. Wang did in-depth research on Chen's personalities, hobbies, hometown, and team, incorporating these elements on a pair of Li-Ning sneakers, which Chen wore as he won the 2019-2020 CBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge.

Today, signed jerseys of may CBA players are hung on the walls in Wang's workshop. "It's amazing my new job made me friends of professional ballers," Wang said.

"Customized sneakers are not just about personality and fashion, but also a new way to promote the unique cultures of different Chinese cities," he added.