Largely, three models have dominated 2024’s Protro releases so far, the Nike Kobe 4, Nike Kobe 6 and Nike Kobe 8. Though the Nike Kobe 9 is set to enter the mix this holiday season, we’re getting some early indications that at least one of those aforementioned silos will continue its run next year. Per @zsneakerheadz, the Nike Kobe 6 “Sail” is set for a 2025 release. Previously worn by Vanessa Bryant and Juju Watkins, the fact that pairs of this colorway have already been minted lets us get a far better understanding of the end product than in typical “info leak” situations. In those on-foot i ..read more

Injuries have kept Dame Lillard out of the Milwaukee Bucks’ last two playoff games and it’s not looking good for game six against Pacers; facing elimination, Lillard is officially listed as “doubtful”. Even still, the eight-time NBA All-Star continues to make headlines through the continued rollout of new signature adidas footwear. The adidas Dame 9 got some shine as part of a larger adidas Basketball collection ahead of the playoffs, and now the Dame 8 EXTPLY surfaces in new makeup. Pastel shades define a summer-ready look here, with “Oatmeal” on the stripes and “Crystal Blue” on the tongue f ..read more

We’ve seen plenty of off-shoots emerge from the main LeBron signature line. While series like the Soldier or Ambassador have experienced an on again, off again kind of life cycle, the Witness sub-brand has been solid as a rock, harboring consistent releases for the past decade. The latest offering, 2023’s Nike LeBron Witness 8, is shaping up for a pseudo pack release centered around three new colorways for the model. As with any Nike basketball sneakers, the “Team Bank” subtitle here indicates what bares out in the photos, a selection of two-tone colorways to match team jerseys. With the Laker ..read more

Modern basketball shoes typically feature bright colors, but greyscale palettes simply make too much sense for New Balance. Taking after essential cuts from the brand’s “Made In” collections, the Boston brand dresses its tentpole hoop shoe in “Graphite” with pre-aged details and changes to the standard upper. The New Balance Fresh Foam BB v2 strays drastically from its traditional makeup here; the base is crafted from only one piece of suede, complete with perforations at the quarter and tactile stripes towards the forefoot and toe. All previous colorways to date have featured a more diverse m ..read more

Even just a few releases in, we can chalk up the ANTA KAI 1 as a success. The cadence of its releases seems to be shaking out into a predictable pattern: first Kyrie rocks a pair, then they release to the public a few weeks later. Initially reported on after Irving rocked them versus the Clippers, the “Mother’s Day” colorway seems to be trending towards a wide release in the coming weeks. The layered, woozy construction of the model continues to shine, but this is arguably the first colorway to lean into an orthodox palette. Instantly recognizable red, white and blue are the dominant tones acr ..read more

With the reveal of the Air Jordan 39 earlier this month, the days of the Air Jordan 38 are clearly numbered. Until a potential retro run down the line, the next few months will likely introduce the very last colorways for the silhouette. Beaverton creatives are clearly set on making those ones to remember, with the low-cut “Crimson Tint” edition now emerging. The titular peach coloring truly envelops this shoe pretty comprehensively from head to toe, though some complementary “Orange Pulse” tones break up the profile in select spots. Keeping these from monochromatic territory are the black acc ..read more

Everything about the women’s basketball is trending upwards. The WNBA reported double-digit sponsorship revenue growth last year, the NCAA National Championship game shattered viewership records, and Caitlin Clark signed a huge $28 million contract with Nike that includes her own signature shoe. While sports brands scramble to kick their women’s basketball initiatives into high gear, Nike’s been at the forefront of women’s sports for years. Back in 2015, they signed another #1 overall pick in Jewell Loyd to a sponsorship deal and have maintained a relationship throughout Loyd’s now nine-year c ..read more

Kevin Durant’s season is over, but the Nike KD 17 will keep him in the headlines. The Easy Money Sniper’s latest signature shoe isn’t short on design themes; multiple KD 17 “Producer Pack” colorways have surfaced in recent weeks, and the shoe’s Air Max-inspired details open the door for any number of treatments drawn from that realm. Come May 24th, the Nike KD 17 “Penny” does just that, taking note from the Air Max Penny and the “Orlando Magic” colorways that marked its debut nearly thirty years ago. Blue and black treatments alone don’t warrant a “Penny” namesake, but cracked Swoosh logos on ..read more

On the court, it hasn’t been the best of times for Zion Williamson or the New Orleans Pelicans. With the team staring down an “out in 4” fate against the Thunder and Williamson yet to play in the series, it’s almost time to shift your hopes to next season. That’s not the case, however, for the Duke alum’s signature shoe, continuing to impress as a tentpole silo alongside the Jordan Tatum 2 and Jordan Luka 3. Though just gracing the upper of this Jordan Zion 3 would be noteworthy enough, the ombre hinted at in the title fully takes over the shoe. In that central section, it starts at aquamarine ..read more

The future of Donovan Mitchell shoes with adidas got a whole lot more interesting in the past week. In a “Playoffs Pack” alongside the AE1 Low and Dame 9, we got an official debut for the adidas DON Issue 6, set to get a public release later this year. That means that the days are numbered for the Issue 5, but it still has time to make its final few editions some of its best. “Semi Blue” and “Crystal White” give the pair at hand its name. The combination sets up a wintry mix on the silhouette, gracing dominant suede that runs across the upper and the underlying mesh, revealed in the ovaline cu ..read more