SOLE COLLECTOR: Sneakers

words_Nick DePaula

It was a night of many firsts earlier tonight in Los Angeles, as not only did Allen Iverson and the Detroit Pistons (that still sounds odd) hand the Lakers their first loss of the season, but AI also broke out his newest signature shoe, the Reebok Answer XII. (Kobe Bryant also wore his Hyperdunk upper/Kobe IV tooling hybrid shoe for the first time at home.) The debut of the XII meant the unveiling of a sleek and streamlined look that Iverson’s fans so dearly loved early on in his series’ timeline, as the XII’s toe cap is reminiscent of a more speedy Question. While the XI, which detailed a great Mortal/Immortal backstory and performed excellently on-court, was designed by up and coming designer Drew Winfield, the XII received its design cues from Japanese-born Reebok designer Kohei Kanata, who also designed the Answer X. Both Winfield and Kanata have been trading off between the past three Answer models to allow for a longer design window and more attention to the development process, as it could be argued that the Iverson series lost its gusto during the VI-IX era. Luckily for Iverson and us, the line has been in good hands the past three years.

The XII is sharply sculpted along the heel, as the TPU structure is contoured around the ankle area and Achilles to provide stern protection for the most speedy of guards. The mid panel is also generously perforated for greater breathability and the clean suede toe sets off a nice balance to the simple yet sharp overall look. The outsole features a sticky rubber wavy herringbone traction pattern and cushioning comes via DMX Ride. With the unexpected nature of Iverson’s trade to Detroit, Reebok had to scramble at the last minute and alter the shoe’s tongue from the ‘I3′ logo to the ‘ai’ icon, as well as alter the shoe’s toe cap so that it included his new number #1 instead of the #3 that was planned for production. Over the past week, AI wore the ATR Vertical III, Answer VII and classic Question Low in white/red while he was awaiting his Pistons colored kicks.

Expect a widely available launch in February of the Answer XII, and Reebok intends to keep the Iverson signature line at the $100 retail price point.