The introduction of the Nike Zoom LeBron NXXT Gen speaks to just how central The King’s product line is to Nike Basketball. After minting the “Soldier” series to provide a more cost-minded alternative to his true signature line, the NXXT Gen model creates a third vertical under The Kid From Akron’s name. With images of the LeBron 21 “James Gang” emerging over the weekend, the off-shoot silhouette is also getting in on the action. Consistent with its mainline sibling’s edition, the Nike Zoom LeBron NXXT Gen AMPD gets dipped entirely in red, a comprehensive heel to toe look that in the context o ..read more

With the sports world turning their attention to the start of the NBA playoffs, adidas took advantage of the extra eyeballs this weekend. They took the chance to debut three new models for three of their signature athletes: Donovan Mitchell’s adidas D.O.N. Issue #6, Damian Lillard’s adidas Dame 9 and the all-new adidas AE1 Low. The adidas D.O.N. Issue #6 was first up chronologically, a fortuitous scheduling opportunity for easily the most colorful shoe on display. Given how the other included models mirror the myriad of vibrant shades featured here, this is where you can spot the overarching t ..read more

The success of the Nike “Greater Than” products continues to surpass expectations, the models that comprise the line proving to be some of the most popular in-line NIke Basketball offerings in recent memory. Among the three, the Cut remains the most widely adopted, a trend sure to continue with the latest “Cool Grey” rendition. The palette is understated yet still classically effective, hits of black dotting a predominantly “Cool Grey” upper, closing out with a swatch of cloudy translucent white stretching from the outsole. Though all three models have spotlighted recent Nike Basketball tech ..read more

The NBA Playoffs always has King James seeing red. That said, this upcoming Nike LeBron 21 should be a perfect colorway for the star Laker to rock as he begins his chase for a fifth NBA title, but there’s more of a heartfelt back-story to this rather aggressive looking release. This upcoming May drop is the latest in the “James Gang” series of Nike LeBron footwear. While it took a brief hiatus from the signature line (it last appeared in the Nike LeBron 18), the Swoosh has gone back to this thematic by selecting a monochromatic Gym Red upper and exposed Flywire cable system with a mild contras ..read more

adidas and Anthony Edwards are stepping on the gas for the Playoffs, revealing the all-new AE1 Low in yet another audacious ad campaign that proves they’re not ducking any smoke and creating it at the same time. Based on the quick teaser in the Instagram video posted by Anthony and adidas Basketball, the AE1 Low looks very similar to the AE1, but modified to have a lower cut. The exterior foam web-like cage appears to be untouched, leaving the “Low” responsibility to the shortened ankle. With the final Playoffs picture finally set, it’s now a road to the Finals for Ant-Man and the Minnesota Ti ..read more

With so many superstar athletes acting as pivotal brand ambassadors for the industry’s major players, the signature basketball business has never been this competitive — particularly between Nike and adidas. For the Swoosh, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Zoom Freak series has been moving the needle since it debuted in 2019, but did you know — it almost could have been the adidas Freak line? MVP and NBA Champion Giannis Antetokounmpo was the most recent guest in his older brother Thanasis’ podcast, Thanalysis. A portion of this show focused on how Nike earned the allegiance of the Antetokounmpo family ..read more

Olympics chatter is getting louder by the day, especially when it comes to basketball. Just as teams begin finalizing their rosters, one being a stacked Team USA squad, sneaker brands continue outlining their plans to capture as much ancillary hype as possible through new footwear. To no surprise, Nike is leading the charge in that department. While the Jordan Brand umbrella prepares hyped-up drops like the Jordan 6 “Paris Olympics” in August and original red, white, and blue Jordan 6 “Olympic” later this fall, Nike’s basketball wing celebrates the game by dressing several of its tentpole shoe ..read more

As things stand, it’s shaping up to be a bittersweet ending to the New Orleans Pelicans season. Zion Williamson put on an absolute clinic through three and a half quarters of action versus the Lakers in the #8 v. #9 playoff matchup. Yet as has been a frequent story in his career, an injury forced him out of the lineup for the closing minutes. Their seaon now rests on a head-to-head against the Kings on Friday, so now may just be the last time this season to give him his flowers, a prompt answered by the upcoming Jordan Zion 3 SE “Orchid.” It’s another monochromatic look for Zion’s 3rd signatur ..read more

With Kawhi Leonard’s 2024 post-season set to tip-off this Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks, New Balance is ready to outfit the stoic superstar with his newest signature shoe – the New Balance KAWHI 4. Today, the brand reveals two upcoming colorways that are set to release on April 26th with an MSRP of $160. First up is a classic white/black/red rendition that is designed to align with the LA Clippers uniforms. Straightforward and no-frills, much like Kawhi’s persona, this “Transcend the Game” colorway speaks to the All-NBA mainstay’s thirteen year career as a dual-threat. Opposing that team ..read more

Caitlin Clark and Nike are close to agreement on a multi-year endorsement deal that includes a signature shoe, per @ShamsCharania. Clark, the college basketball legend and first overall draft pick by the Indiana Fever, has been wearing Nike Kobe footwear throughout the season, notably the “Bruce Lee” colorway, but soon enough she’ll be lacing up her own shoe. Details of the endorsement deal have not yet been disclosed, but it is reported to be an eight-figure deal. Caitlin had already been signed Nike on an NIL deal back in October 2022; earlier this year at the start of the NCAA Tournament, s ..read more