This Original Air Jordan XVIII colorway was made for Ray Allen during the 2002-03 NBA season. He was a memeber of the Seattle Supersonics then so it was only right that the colors matched his teams uniform. They feature an all white upper with his number “34″ stitched on the upper part of the cover in gold with green stitching along with a green midsole. As with all player exclusives these were specifically for Ray Allen and were never released or available to the general public.

This amazing Air Jordan XX3 colorway was produced in 2008 but unfortunately was never released. It was first seen on the feet of Gentry Humphrey. It features an all white upper with metallic gold stitching and midsole. Unfortunately these will remain as unreleased samples and most likely will never be released to the public.

This pair of Air Jordan XI’s were produced in 2007 but never made it into production. They were originally going to be released during the summer when the Air Jordan 11 Retro Low IE’s made a 2nd run on store shelves. They feature an icy clear sole along with a light bone elephant print and an orange sockliner. Unfortuantely these were never released and remain as samples.

When you see PE lowtops, nine times out of ten they’re for Mike Bibby! These Jordan 2 Retro Lows were made for Mike Bibby in 2005. They feature his signature “TD” logo on one shoe and “1Z” on the other. The colorway also was made to match the colors of his then Sacramento Kings uniform. As with all player exclusives these were never sold to the public or available. They were made specifically for Mike Bibby.

This sweet pair of Air Jordan Retro II’s were made exclusively for Richard “Rip” Hamilton of the Detroit Pistons. Even though no Jordan II’s were retroed in 2008 aside from the one colorway in the 21/2 Jordan Collezione Package, Jordan Brand still gave this pair for him to wear during that year. The colorway was made to match Rip’s Pistons uniform colors and also feature “Rip City” stitched in blue on the ankle of the shoe. As with all player exclusives, these were made only for Richard Hamilton and were never sold or available to the public.

Words & Photos_Steve Mullholand

Michael Jordan Motorsports will be screaming down the straights of Daytona International Speedway this weekend for the season opener for year 6. A bike/sneaker enthusiast’s perennial moment is when the team takes to the track for the first time at Daytona to reveal the new team colorway. Each year Michael Jordan Motorsports creates a truly unique colorway for the bike and kicks – and this year they are connected at an even deeper level. From the base colorway to the signature design elements – the kicks and bike were created to work as one. No doubt, if I had to choose one word to describe the colorway it would be “clean.”

Michael Jordan Motorsports won their first championship with Aaron Yates riding the Jordan/Suzuki last year in the Superstock class. This year they are gunning to win the championship again in a new division, and will be taking their first step at Daytona. The race is this weekend (March 6, 2009) and Sole Collector will be there covering it. For more information about the Daytona 200 and for tickets click here.

More photos and features on the race team can be found here throughout the year. Also check out Sole Collector Issue 27, the Air Jordan 2009 Issue, which hits stands within the next few weeks and has an in-depth look at the bike, Aaron Yates, and the people behind creating this year’s colorway.

Click here to talk about them.

Wallpapers Below – Just pick your screen res – or the closest one.

1024 x 768

1152 x 864

1280 x 1024

1600 x 1200

iPhone

I took this photo at a closed track in FL during a test session. More will be posted soon.

Coming from left field, Jordan Brand releases two new AJF4 colorways today via Nike.com. Inspired by the Eminem “Encore” colorway and the unreleased “Laser” sample, these two are the closest most of us will ever get to having something close to those pairs.

Both colorways are Premier releases so don’t expect these to pop up all over the place anytime soon. If they do end up in stores they will be only at select high-end urban accounts as well as all of the House of Hoops locations. Retail on these is $160 and the size run starts at 7 and goes all they way up to a 14 before skipping half sizes and ending at 18. Enjoy the detailed pictures and tech info below for each colorway. Also, if you’re interested in purchasing a pair of these, follow this link: AJF4 Premier.

07/30/2009 AJF4 Premier (limited release)

384393 601 Varsity Red/Cement Grey

$160.00

07/30/2009 AJF4 Premier (limited release)

384393 401 Varsity Royal/Cement Grey

$160.00

words_Nick DePaula

When Nike tapped custom artist SBTG to work on a special 1 of 1 shoe just for Kobe Bryant, he could only ask ‘What If?’ What if Bryant hadn’t jumped straight from prom to the pros, and what if Kobe had instead gone to Duke University under the tutelage of Coach K? The “Varsity Bones” Dunk High offers a glimpse at Kobe’s career path and re-imagines the Dunk High with a Blue Devils schemed colorway.

Along with a unique camo print, pre-yellowed midsole and custom tagging throughout the upper, an interesting detail is certainly the fact that the right-facing mid panels are black, while the left lateral and right medial panels are blue. On each mid panel, a collage of Kobe’s Shozoko logo are lasered as well. The custom lasered wooden box and plexiglass cover is pretty sweet too. Kobe was recently presented the custom “Varsity Bones” Dunk High in person by SBTG during his tour of Asia.

Source: STREEThing via Hypebeast

As Allen Iverson’s whole career is perhaps in a state of uncertainty this summer, with the legitimate possibility that he’ll retire actually realistic, Reebok has decided to drop the Answer XIII already, as compared to the signature shoe’s normal February release during the past few years.

Designed by Kohei Kanata, the Answer XIII features a lightweight synthetic upper, thick memory foam padded collar and full-length low profile Hexride cushioning. The insole is actually the most interesting aspect of the shoe, as it’s several millimeters thick for an improved padded feel, and also features a TPU shank just under the arch incorporated into the sockliner.

The Answer XIII is available now at select retailers for the retail price of $100.

I just hope we’ll see them on-court this upcoming season.

Sneaker Image via SLAM

With the adidas Nations camp taking place from August 4th until August 8th down in Dallas, Texas, the world’s best 18-and-under ballers will be gathering for a week of drills, scrimmages and advice from several well known former and current NBA players. Jerryd Bayless, Brook Lopez, Eric Gordon, Mike Conley and Detlef Schrempf and Reggie Theus are just a few of the coaches. For the third annual adidas Nations camp, each hooper will also be playing a special colorway of the adidas TS Commander LT, which was of course first seen on the feet of Dwight Howard during the 2009 NBA Playoffs.

Eastbay and adidas have teamed up to drop 200 pairs of the ‘adidas Nations’ TS Commander LT, which are now available at Eastbay.com/adidasnations. The website is also the exclusive host of camp coverage and streaming video from the scene, so be sure to check it out. The Nations TS Commander LT will run $125, and you’ll also be entered for a chance to win a full set of camp gear upon purchase.

For the past week in Las Vegas, several NBA players squared off in a series of scrimmages and practices as a pseudo try-out for the 2012 USA Olympic squad. With USA Basketball Managing Director Jerry Colangelo, Coach Mike Krzyzewski and several other coaches all paying close attention to the action, they’re hoping to get a feel for the playing styles of several promising young players and see who could potentially fit into their plans for London’s Games. A lucky byproduct of the week-long mini-camp is also a sneak peak at several of the sneakers that the guys will be wearing this upcoming season!

Thaddeus Young might not yet be a household name, but I’d figure by 2012 he’ll be known by more than just the hardcore fans of the game. Like several of the Nike athletes at the camp, Bad Thad is wearing the Nike Hyperize in a white/navy team colorway.

During a scrimmage open to the public, Andre Iguodala showed off his exlosiveness in the Nike Hyperize. Not a good look for Wizards’ big man JaVale McGee!

OJ Mayo was also in the house too, as he broke out the Nike Air Max Rise. You can also spot Kyle Korver in the Converse Assist and DJ Augustin in the Jordan Jumpman Elite.

Reigning Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose pulls up for a jumper in the adidas TS Cut Creator, coming this fall!

Kevin Love THROWS IT DOWN BIG MAN in the Nike Hypermax.

Clippers emerging off guard Eric Gordon takes it to the rack in the adidas TS Creator Lightning. You think he’s got a shot at the 2012 team?

Greg Oden shows off his defensive positioning skills while Brook Lopez puts down a nice dunk in the adidas Pro Model Fusion.

Kevin Durant had everyone talking during the camp, as not only did he debut the Nike Zoom KDII, but he also left everyone in attendance in awe and appears to be a lock for the 2012 squad.

One of the lesser known players invited to the camp, Ronnie Brewer of the Utah Jazz, isn’t unnacustomed to having to work hard for his goals, as he’s been under the radar every step of the way while already enjoying some early success in his career.

Nate McMillan, Mike D’Antoni, Coach K and Jerry Colangelo all man the sidelines as they take a look at the crop of players fighting for their spot in the next Olympics. Mike D is doin’ big things!

Oh yeah, and some power moves went down in the L this week. Clippers fans — you hyped!?

words_Nick DePaula

After one of the more odd marketing standoffs of the season took place last June, in which Reebok gave Orlando Magic Center Marcin Gortat the orders to cover his Jumpman tattoo during the NBA Finals, or else, it appears as though the two sides were never able to repair their rocky relationship since, and now Gortat has been spotted rocking a Nike bandana around Magic facilities.

““I’ve been wearing it 4-5 years now, and it helped me get to the NBA,” said Gortat at the time of the tattoo controversy. “They didn’t say anything about it when I signed the contract, so it’s not going anywhere. I don’t think they are paying me enough to take it off.”

As it turns out, Reebok definitely wasn’t paying him enough by the standards of anyone who knows anything about monetary value, as they were actually paying him absolutely nothing, and instead just sending Gortat free sneakers for the season. While it’s tough to argue Gortat deserved any kind of endorsement deal beyond a merchandise contract, he’s since proven himself to be a dependable backup center in the league, and was recently rewarded with a 5 year, $34 Million contract to return to the Magic. Once the new season approaches, you can expect to see Gortat wearing team product from Nike Basketball, as the chapter of his life involving Reebok is now over.

Source: CNBC

After word came out last June about the Gortat and Reebok controversy, we took a look at players in the league that were also branded with another company’s logo other than their current endorser.

You can also add rookie Jordan Hill to the crew of Jumpman-donning players — though he currently wears Nike. Oh yeah, and his name is Jordan.

words & images_Nick DePaula

While sitting around the house earlier this evening, I stumbled upon an article about Jonathan Bender and his desire to make a return to the NBA. His main motivation seems to be his hope to “fight off the demons inside [his] head” after reading articles claiming he was the “top bust.” That got me thinking about the tons of disappointing players that came and went during the late 90′s and right at the turn of the millennium. I also happened to be cracking open a Corona at the time, and thumbing through the very first KICKS Magazine, checking out a piece on the first wave of Jordan Brand athletes.

Then, it hit me.

“Vin Baker!”

Not only was Vin the first of the first crew to be politely dismissed from the close knit group that was the Jordan Brand Class of ’97, but he also saw his career spiral downward upon his arrival in Seattle, facing several personal battles as he soon bounced around the league. It’s tough to imagine the team that got Terrell Brandon in a 3-team trade also involving Shawn Kemp and Vin Baker got the best of the deal. Though he may not have had quite the illustrious career that people expected out of him, and his post-ball life has turned into yet another sad case of an athlete in deep financial trouble, with his restaurant and home both facing foreclosure, we can look back on some of the brighter times that Vin saw.

The Jumpman Vindicate would be Baker’s second signature shoe with Jordan Brand, as the Jumpman Pro Strong came just before it, and they retailed for $115. With an unconventionally double-lasted heel, the shoe was certainly a departure from the more flowing and technologically visual shoes of the era, keeping things understated and modest, like Baker’s low-key demeanor. With heel and forefoot Zoom Air units and a plush mesh liner, all the tech was to be found under the hood, but the story with the Vindicate was certainly it’s half/half appearance, as Jordan Brand even introduced the world to color shifting laces that would complement the toe cap and heel quarters.

After taking in the sights in person two weeks ago in Chicago, we now have a look at the latest ad campaign from Gatorade, created to pay tribute to Michael Jordan as he prepares to *likely* be inducted into the Basketball Hall Of Fame.

With over 14,641 bottles included in the art installation, Gatorade recreated a classic soaring Jordan dunk by back lighting the multitude of bottles shaded in differing colors. With the unmistakable Bulls uniform and soaring Jordan perfectly captured, along with the flashing cameras throughout the crowd, we’d say the piece turned out pretty well.

Zac doing his part to help:


And me, trying my best to pose as awkwardly as possible:

These showed up finally — GAUDY.

Be on the lookout for a skate review of the STPLxAirwalks on the new SC.com in a couple of weeks.

The infamous Eminem “The Way I Am” Air Jordan Retro 2′s. These are dubbed “The Way I Am’s” because this shoe was a collaboration between Eminem & Jordan Brand for the release of his book with the same title. The Jordan II was picked personally by Em because it is his favorite pair of Jordans. These were never available in stores, only on AirJordanFlightClub.com to registered members. Retail was $110 and came with a matching t-shirt. These were limited to a total of 313 pairs and sold out in less than 5 minutes! The number of pairs was made to represent the area code for Em’s hometown of Detroit, MI. This also marked the second time Eminem and Jordan Brand teamed up, the first time being for the infamous “Encore” Jordan Retro 4s.

In May of 2005 we all got a little suprise, Jordan Brand brought back the Air Jordan Retro 2 Lows for a second go-around. Two colorways were released, one for men and one for women. This is the women’s colorway. It retailed for the same price as the men’s at $90 and was available all the way up to a women’s size 13 (which is equivalent to a men’s size 11.5). This was done because pink was the “in” color for guys and many guys wanted to wear these as much as the ladies did.

Upon hearing the news this morning that Dwyane Wade would be leaving the only shoe brand he’s known during his professional career, Converse, for the big brother under the Nike Inc. umbrella in Jordan Brand, I was left to wonder where that would leave his alma mater, Marquette University. It was during college that the somewhat unknown Wade blew up, after leading the Golden Eagles to the 2003 Final Four, and for the past few seasons they’ve had the good fortune of being the only Converse Basketball college program in the nation, proudly linking Wade with his former school.

Though we’re still a few months away from Midnight Madness and the official start of Division 1 practices, we can announce that Marquette University will, like Wade, also be shifting away from Converse footwear and apparel. “Marquette will transition to the Jordan Brand along with Wade,” says Reggie Saunders, spokesperson for Jordan Brand. “Marquette is proud of their former athlete and should have the opportunity to maintain their relationship with him.”

With the University of California Berkeley wearing mostly black/varsity maize kicks over the past few seasons, it’s been a few years since we’ve regularly seen white/navy/yellow Jordan PE’s at the college level. If you recall, there was also the short-lived North Carolina A&T sponsorship. Either way, you can now add Marquette to the list of official Jordan schools, along with Cal, Georgetown and of course the University of North Carolina.

In the biggest sneaker company move since Kobe left adidas for Nike, Dwyane Wade is now a member of Team Jordan. Wade’s move comes following a season where he seemed to do everything possible to avoid wearing what will now be his last signature shoe with Converse, the Wade IV.

Now calling players like Ray Allen, Melo, CP, and Rip Hamilton his teammates, Wade will find himself wearing some of the most coveted kicks in sneaker history. In a statement, Wade proclaimed that, “For me, the move to Jordan Brand is a dream come true. As a kid, I grew up on the south side of Chicago idolizing Michael Jordan and have worked hard to achieve the same success that he’s had on the court. I have enormous respect for this brand and all that it stands for. I’m humbled to be a part of the Team Jordan family and I’m looking forward to a great future.”

MJ echoed Wade’s excitement for the move. “I’m thrilled to have Dwyane Wade join the Team Jordan family,” he said. “In his short time in the league, Dwyane has transformed himself into one of the game’s best and is the embodiment of leadership both on and off the court, a signature trait of our athletes. As the Jordan franchise approaches its silver anniversary, Dwyane will become a pinnacle member of the Jordan roster poised to help lead the Brand for years to come.”

Wade never kept his love for Air Jordans a secret. Back in Issue 13 of Sole Collector (available here), when asked about memories of sneaker collecting, Wade related this story. “Of course I have to talk about the Jordan XI, that’s it! I cried when I didn’t get those shoes when I was a kid – I was crying. My cousin had them and I didn’t have them. And that’s where you want to be in this game …”

Converse had this to say….
“Converse has enjoyed being a part of Dwyane’s meteoric rise to the top of the basketball world. We have had an amazing professional and personal relationship with him and we thank Dwyane for his commitment to our brand. As he joins Jordan Brand, we know his Chicago roots and his on-and off-court style will be a great fit.

Converse is focused on creating quality basketball footwear in the mid-level price point range. In past years, we celebrated Dwyane’s success by creating higher priced signature shoes and saw great success with our Wade business. With Dwyane joining the Jordan Brand, we are continuing to meet our long-standing objective of offering high performing, functional basketball shoes at a mid-level price point.”

This is undoubtedly a positive move for Jordan Brand, adding one of the game’s biggest stars to its already stacked roster, but what will be next for Converse? Will any new players fill the void left by Wade, or will Elton Brand be left as the sole signature athlete? And what about Wade’s signature shoe status? Will he be wearing a Jordan Brand shoe designed especially for him, or helping support the team line? Only time will tell. Share your thoughts on this breaking news.

After months and months of anticipation, the Nike Air Penny II in the classic Atlantic Blue colorway will finally be dropping at quickstrike accounts on Saturday, July 25th.

Early word is that each account will only receive 12 pairs to release, and the retail price will be $145.

Good luck!

Wallpaper — Click to enlarge!

words_Nick DePaula

After the folks behind the scenes in Beaverton gathered up hundreds of entries for this year’s Future Sole Design Competition, the time has finally come for YOU to cast your vote for your favorite rendering amongst six finalists from two categories.

This year the competition is being run differently, as not only is the contest split into two divisions – a Jordan and Nike category, respectively – there’s also the added component of the Consumer Choice Awards, meaning your vote will directly affect the outcome of the competition. (Think of it like American Idol voting — just without the text message fees.)

To cast your vote, simply head on over to FutureSole.com and look for the giant red button that screams ‘VOTE NOW!’ The voting will run from now until August 1st, and the winner will be announced in early October.

As an added bonus, we’ll also be giving away 23 limited edition Future Sole x Sole Collector collaboration tees to those who cast their votes and enter our contest on Twitter. By voting, you’re also eligible to win a 1 of 1 Future Sole Air Jordan 1! (You read that right!) Basically — you don’t want to miss out!

Simple steps to enter:

1.) Follow Sole Collector (@SoleCollector) & Future Sole (@FutureSole) on Twitter.

2.) Step your re-tweet game up (don’t miss this step –  this is how the tee winners will be selected at random) -
Follow @SoleCollector & @FutureSole, and VOTE NOW at www.FutureSole.com for your chance to win a FS Air Jordan 1 or FS/SC collab tee

3.) VOTE FOR YOUR FINALIST ON FUTURESOLE.COM

Check out all of the Finalists for each category below!

Future Sole Finalists – Nike Category

Austin J -

Brion E -

Ezechi C -

Sky M -

Matthew D -

Ethan D -

Future Sole Finalists – Jordan Category
Austin J -

Benjamin L -

Daniel G -

Nicholas D -

Matthew D -

Ethan D -

Have you always wanted to get your best/favorite pair of sneakers signed but never knew how it would ever become possible? Well, here’s your lucky day!

Sole Collector has teamed up with Upper Deck to give you (the people) an exclusive chance to have some of your best sneakers signed by your favorite athletes! New dates posted below, but hurry, time is limited and only a certain # of signing spots are available!

Pricing is per signature. At this time, NO PAIRS being accepted, ONLY A SINGLE SHOE from the pair will be signed, this is per the athlete’s terms. These prices may change at anytime without notice. Here is a list of all current available athletes:

Michael Jordan: $1,000 : Shoes must be received by August 17th!
LeBron James: $800 : Shoes must be received by August 17th!
Kobe Bryant: $800 : Shoes must be received by August 17th!
Ken Griffey Jr: Please fill out the form and we will get back to you with more info!
Tiger Woods: Please fill out the form and we will get back to you with more info!
Dwyane Wade: Coming Soon!
Kevin Garnett: Coming Soon!

If you don’t see an athlete’s name, then no signing is currently available. But if you have a request for a different athlete just hit us up and we’ll get in touch with Upper Deck and see what we can do for you.

The athletes will only sign their own shoes (Jordan on Jordans, Kobe on Kobes, Lebron on Lebrons, etc). The right shoe is the best shoe to be signed for display purposes (you can have either signed, but Upper Deck recommends the right shoe), and will only sign their name.

Getting your kicks signed is something very few people get to do – and to have the signature authenticated ensures your item is legit. I’ve bought a few pairs of signed shoes and they came with a document from the  NBA stating the shoes were from one of their auctions… but I really never knew if they were the real thing as anyone could create some letterhead. With the Upper Deck program you don’t have to worry about that.

SC owner Steve had two shoes signed through this program; OG Air Jordan I Lows and OG Air Jordan V PEs and they came back perfect.

Here is how it works –

1. E-mail me, Jr. at ajordanxi@solecollector.com in this format below, include your name/address/phone # , be sure to include all information, otherwise your request may not be processed:

Athlete:
Size of shoe:
Type of shoe:
Pen Color:
Location you want signature:
Right or Left Shoe:
Picture of shoe (if you can provide one):

2. Once you send us this info, we will contact Upper Deck to make sure your item can be signed.

3. You will be sent a confirmation e-mail once your shoe has been approved to move forward.

4. Make the payment and send in the shoes to the provided address with all your info by the cutoff date.

5. Receive the shoes after they are signed via UPS, along with the Certificate with Hologram # & matching Hologram sticker.

It is that simple –

Now for the fine print. Signing dates change – but the dates we provide should be fairly accurate, if they do change, your shoes will be held until the next signing is available. Also, I would not send in any shoe that is crumbling or has aged to the point that it is borderline to hold up. Steve sent in a pair of OG 1s from 1985 and they came back fine – but you have to understand that moving any seriously old shoes could result in cracking. We treat your shoes with the same care that we treat our own – they are all priceless to us. Just remember shipping old shoes can have effects.

Also, Sole Collector will be authenticating each shoe when it comes in. If a fake shoe is shipped to us then you can count on that shoe not being signed and you’ll be lucky if you even get it back.

Some pairs are unable to be signed due to Upper Deck/Nike agreements, such as some pairs of the Air Jordan XX3, and other limited Jordans.

Other than that – have fun with it! This is an awesome program and I back it 100%.

Example Shoes That Have Been Signed:

——————————

Here is what Steve has had signed:

1990 PE Size 13 Made for MJ – No Samples

1985 Size 11 (the OG low has never been retroed)

While The Palms Hotel in Las Vegas might have one of the most wildly suspect buffets around (and I’ve tried ALL of them!), it’s certainly more known for its celebrity clientele, rooftop club and young and hip party atmosphere. Supra recently did a run of 23 pairs of their instantly iconic Skytop silhouette for Special Operations Manager Jon Gray, and the white canvas based sneaker is set off by hits of lime and purple, along with The Palms’ logo along the heel. Well done! Surely there’s some kind of party to go along the execution of these.

It’s undoubtedly one of my favorite shoes EVER, and now the Nike Zvezdochka is joining the lexicon of recent classics that Nike Sportswear has been reliving in LIVESTRONG black and yellow to commemorate Lance Armstrong’s current Tour de France push. While a reverse colorway might’ve been hotter (Key: The louder, the better), this version comes equipped with not only the rubberized upper, mesh inner bootie and Zoom Air-stocked insole that the shoe is comprised of, but also included in the set is a LIVESTRONG bracelet, Paris city guide maps and an invite to the STAGES art installation that’ll be taking place this Friday, July 17th at the Gallerie Emmanuel Perrotin in Paris and running until August 8th. Unfortunately for myself and fans worldwide of the Zvezdochka, the LIVESTRONG set will be an exclusive Friends & Family edition.

Lance Armstrong x Nike Stages Global Art Exhibition
Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris
July 17, 2009 – August 8, 2009

Source: Slam x Hype

Having steered clear of widespread collaborations with their latest hoops sneaker aimed at the game’s most speedy players, after a multi-season partnership with UNDR CRWN beforehand, adidas Basketball recently gave in and worked with artist Rahn Johnson on a Yin & Yang concept executed atop the TS Lightning Creator. Available this summer exclusively in Asia, Johnsonwas inspired by the principles of Yin & Yang found in traditional Chinese culture.

Beginning with the dualities of season in mind, graphic illustrations of Rain (Yin) and Sun (Yang) can be found along the medial sides of the shoes, wrapping over from the lateral collar. Other touches along the shoe include the use of the grey snakeskin patent leather, which pays tribute to the the Chinese Zodiac, as well as the translucent green outsole, which is inspired by the Chinese “Imperial Gem” Jade.

Thanks to Rahn’s Personal Blog for the images!

This metallic colorway was retroed in July of 2009 alongside the white/sea green’s. This colorway unlike the greens though was released in both men’s and gradeschool kid’s sizes. They however were still a limited release and available only at select urban accounts worldwide. A unique part of this release was the addition of a Jordan hangtag similar to the one found on original pairs of Nike Air Jordan I’s from ’85/’86. Hey, anything extra that comes with a great shoe is a nice bonus!

Originally called the “DTRT’s” or “Do The Right Things,” these were released in July of 2009. The original samples contained a unique print on the sockliners but they got rid of that on the released version. This marks the first time the Air Jordan I retroed any “metallic” colorways inspired by the originals released in ’85 – ’86. Retail on these was $100 and this colorway was a limited release and available only in men’s sizes.

It’s a pretty monumental moment when an athlete earns a sixth signature shoe. Few have, and now Carmelo Anthony can be added to the upper echelon of signature sneakers as his new Jordan Melo M6 will be dropping this October. Designed by Justin Taylor, after the first five kicks were born from the pen of Design Director D’Wayne Edwards, the Melo M6 will be hitting for a retail price of $120 this fall and will be dropping in several team bank colorways on Eastbay.

Featuring nubuck along the toe and tongue, a synthetic leather rand around the perimeter of the shoe and mesh along the quarter, the most noticeable feature is the shoe’s shimmering synthetic overlay where the dual branding resides and Melo’s logo along with the Jumpman logo can be found. The shoe also features an integrated tongue fit system to met Melo’s annual ankle support demands, as well as targeted notches along the inner collar for an improved heel fit around the malleolus bones of the ankle.

In terms of the shoe’s tooling, the Melo M6 features the trusty cushioning set-up of heel Dual Hardness Injected Phylon (DHIP) and forefoot Zoom Air, and the outsole features a combination of Melo’s ‘M’ icon traction pattern and traditional herringbone grooves. Be on the lookout for the Melo M6 this fall in a wide array of colorways, and you can also look for a complete breakdown of the sneaker along with a designer interview in a future issue of Sole Collector.

No stranger to sneaker companies of all sizes, having worked with everyone from Nike to K1X, streetball and sneaker scene icon Bobbito Garcia recently got to style up his very own rendition of the Under Armour Prototype BB. In a clean white perforated leather upper, the shoe is set off by colors touching back on the heritage of Garcia, with the Puerto Rican flag proudly affixed to the heel and blue and red touches throughout. Founder of Bounce Magazine, Garcia is a fixture in New York hoop circles.

Made exclusively for Garcia, aka Kool Bob Love aka DJ Cucumberslice aka Boogie Bob aka Bag Of Tricks (…there might be more!!), the Prototype BB won’t be hitting retail, and you can check for them on the feet of Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings in the L.

To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Def Jam Recordings, adidas partnered up with the iconic label on a series of a five shoes. Included in the set are custom versions of the adidas Forum in collaboration with artists Method Man, Redman, Young Jeezy and Ghostface Killah. A black/metallic silver Def Jam Forum will be dropping as well. Take a look at the Def Jam, Young Jeezy and Ghostface Killah adidas Forums below!

Def Jam adidas Forum –

Young Jeezy adidas Forum –

Ghostface Killah adidas Forum –

Zac and I met up in Chicago for the past two days to check out Gatorade’s event to honor Michael Jordan’s upcoming Hall Of Fame induction. I had a brutal 7am flight from Portland and Zac had a 5 hour drive from Cleveland. Good thing I realized right as I was boarding that I was getting into Midway and NOT O’hare!

First stop : N. Milwaukee

Had lunch at an amazing Mexican spot next door to LEADERS….apparently restaurants can pull off a BYOB policy? This is news to me.

Zac tries to hit a record store wherever we are…





After hitting LDRS & St. Alfred’s…headed over to Wabash where we were meeting up for the Gatorade event.

Barcelona chairs everywhere. Unfair.


NBA Jam TE *and* NBA Fastbreak Pinball!

To honor Michael Jordan’s Hall Of Fame induction, Gatorade invited 23 influencers to help partake in a street art installation. Made of Gatorade Jordan series bottles, it’ll be featured in an upcoming commercial in a few weeks.

Scottie in the house!

Zac chipping in….


Group shot! Bill Wennington and Jackie Joyner Kersee lent some support too.

Headed back over to the event area…Mr. Tastee’s fellas made tees on the spot for everyone…


Bill was getting some shots up!

FORM.

Biz just launching at the backboard…

Jose getting some pinball in. Not a Spiz’ike fan…but that colorway is kinda cool I guess.


Is this a real item?

Filet x potatoes…YES

And Zac kept it veggie as always…


Awesome. 14,000+ bottles.

Be sure to check out the next issue of Sole Collector for an in-depth recap of the event and an interview with Scottie Pippen!

The colorways of the Zoom Kobe IV keep coming, and Eastbay just posted the Olympic inspired version of Kobe Bryant’s latest signature shoe. In White/Dark Obsidian/Varsity Red/Gold, this rendition of the Zoom Kobe IV features the familiar Team USA colors along with gold aplenty to commemorate the Gold Medal that Kobe and his teammates captured in Beijing last summer at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The Olmpics Zoom Kobe IV retails for $120 – Link to Eastbay