sneakers
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Source: Reebok / Reebok
Last year, Reebok made some big waves when they announced that Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson were tapped to be the president and vice president of its basketball division, and though some might have thought this was just another source of income for Shaq Diesel, the NBA legend is taking his new role very seriously.
In an interview with the New York Times, Shaquille O’Neal spoke about his new role at Reebok and made it very clear that he plans on making Reebok as popular a brand as Nike and adidas is out on these streets. With Reebok being the place where his signature line resided during his rookie and prime years in the NBA, it’s only right that the brand would tap their biggest star to run their basketball scene for the foreseeable future; Shaq seems more than up to the task.
During a brand summit for their business partners this past March, Shaquille O’Neal appeared next to Reebok’s chief executive, Todd Krinsky, and he let everyone in attendance know that he intends on making the sports brand a powerhouse once again if it’s the last thing he does.
The New York Time reports:
“Listen, we’re getting back into basketball,” Mr. O’Neal said. “And I want everyone in here to understand there are no excuses. Everyone needs to be 100 percent in on this, because I’m 100 percent in on this.”
He then doubled down on his personal commitment: “I’m not doing this because this is a hobby. I’m doing this because we have a rightful place in basketball.”
Knowing that he and the brand have a lot riding on the line, the NBA Hall of Famer bluntly stated, “If this doesn’t work, everyone’s leaving…Everyone’s going to get gone, including me.”
While Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson and Shawn Kemp had some classic Reebok sneakers back in the day, it will be interesting to see how Shaq plans on returning the OG sports brand to glory. One step in the right direction would be to retro not only those particular silhouettes (which they have already) but also bring back the S. Carter’s that Jay-Z collaborated with Reebok on and the G-Unit sneakers that 50 Cent released in the early 2000s.
We’ll have to wait and see if any of those plans pan out, but the fact that Shaq and AI are considering it shows that they’re committed to making Reebok popular again.
How do you think Shaq can make Reebok a sneaker powerhouse again? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: @sneakerfreakermag / Instagram
For decades break dancers have been poppin’ and lockin’ in everything from Air Force 1s and shell toes to Timberland boots. Now, Nike is blessing them with a silhouette made specifically for their fancy footwork just in time for the Olympic games in Paris this summer.
According to GQ, the Swoosh brand has just introduced the first ever sneaker made for break dancers dubbed the Nike Jam as break dancers gear up for the competition that’s set to go down in Paris this coming July. The silhouette has been in the works for quite a few years and with the input of some world class B-boys and B-girls, Nike is ready to unleash their latest creation on the Hip-Hop world.
GQ reports:
The Nike Jam has been in development for over seven years, with on-the-ground research performed at the famed Nike Sports Research Lab in Beaverton, Oregon. The company invited pro breakers to demonstrate to Nike’s designers exactly how they like to move in their shoes, per Fast Company, and apparently even brought in a DJ to help set the appropriate mood. In film sessions, Nike analyzed the movement of the dancers and carefully measured the impact of their feet on the floor, looking for ways to maximize comfort and energy return. It resulted in a shoe that makes breakdancing as smooth and tactile as possible.
The silhouette itself is low and compact, made of a combination of leather and knit mesh and built atop a sizable gum sole. The heel tab and lace lock are reminiscent of the Nike Metcon, which is built for high-intensity interval workouts that include jump rope, burpees, and box jumps, all somewhat similar in terms of the need for agility and speed. But Nike didn’t neglect the style factor, either: the Jam are handsome enough to be worn casually, with pleasing retro quality that nods to breaking’s roots in ‘70s and ’80s street culture.
Expect to see these all over the hood as heads busts all kinds of moves from the corner to the park as the summer heat engulfs your city and gives heads a reason to dance all night long.
The Nike Jam is set to release sometime this summer for $120.
Check out pics of the kicks, and let us know if you’ll be picking up a pair in the comments section below.
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Source: Southern District of New York / DOJ
We think it’s become pretty clear that when Nike sues you for copyright infringement, you’re going to lose as they’ve been shutting down any and everyone banking off of their classic silhouettes and now Kool Kyi has become the latest person to fall to the might swoosh brand and their team of high-powered attorneys.
Almost a year after Nike and Kool Kyi reached a settlement in their original copyright infringement lawsuit, as reported by Kari aka @sneakerphetish, a judge ordered Kool Kyi to cough up a cool million dollars in damages while shutting down their By Kyi sneaker line as it bares a striking resemblance to the classic Air Jordan 1 silhouette.
While some may feel that the Kool Kyi sneakers were just knockoffs of the Air Jordan 1’s, the sneakers did gain popularity over the years and it got to the point that Nike did take notice and decided to put an end to their run ASAP.
Now that Kool Kyi has been ordered to cease production of their sneakers and pay Nike $1 million for their troubles, we wonder if they’ll just return with a new and original silhouette of their own or give up on the sneaker game altogether.
What do y’all think Kool Kyi should do? Sound off in the comments section below.
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Source: Robin L Marshall / Getty
A former diversity manager for both Facebook and Nike just learned that crime doesn’t pay and that freedom is indeed priceless. Barbara Furlow-Smiles was just sentenced to five years in prison for robbing both companies of millions of dollars.
According to CNBC, Furlow-Smiles pleaded guilty to wire fraud back in December of 2023 after being accused of stealing $4.9 million from Facebook by using fake invoices, fraudulent vendors and even cash kickbacks while working for the company. Interestingly enough she continued to partake in such practices when she got herself a new gig over at Nike as their DEI but only made off with a little more than $100,000. Chicken feed when compared to the millions she syphoned off of Facebook but still a lot of money.
Prosecutors in the case asked the judge to sentence her to 6 and a half years as she used the money to fund a pretty lavish lifestyle in California, Georgia and Oregon, but “luckily” for Smiles, the judge overseeing the case decided to cut the sentence down to five years for her transgressions and ordered her to repay Facebook $4.8 million and Nike $121,000.
CNBC reports:
Prosecutors in their sentencing memo said that in addition to the money Furlow-Smiles stole from the company, Meta lost more than $4.5 million “in addition to other expenses, such as attorney’s fees, which were incurred as a result of Meta having to uncover and investigate her fraud scheme.”
“As Meta notes, ‘the harm from [Furlow-Smiles’] criminal conduct cannot be measured purely in financial terms,‘” prosecutors recounted in their memo. “Her ‘crimes also resulted in anguish amongst those employees that worked closely with her.’”
Nike told prosecutors that she was “entrusted as a leader for [the] company, that she would embody the value of ‘Doing the Right Thing’ which is one of NIKE’s key maxims,” the prosecutor said in their memo. “As Nike explains, ‘[t]o say that Ms. Furlow-Smiles violated our trust would be an understatement. The fraud committed by Ms. Furlow-Smiles violated the trust of and devastated the employees who managed and worked with her.’ ”
We’re just surprised that she continued her scheme at Nike after getting fired from Facebook. Did they not call her past employers for references or anything?
What do y’all think of this multi-million dollar scheme? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: adidas / adidas
adidas still has Yeezy’s stashed to sell off?!
Apparently they do as Sneakerbar Detroit is reporting that Adidas is preparing for yet another Yeezy Day restock later this year and it’ll feature quite a few silhouettes that were pretty hard to come by back when Yeezy didn’t alienate most of his fans with his antics and out of pocket social-political comments.
It’s been a few years since Adidas split from Kanye West following his antisemitic comments and halted any further production of new Yeezy products, but with a half a billion worth of Yeezy products sitting in warehouses, Adidas wasn’t going to hold that big of an “L” and has been selling off it’s remaining inventory since. Needless to say Yeezy’s remain a hot commodity for sneakerheads and even though Kanye told his followers not to buy them as he gets nothing from the sales and doesn’t want them banking off his name.
Now that there’s more product to be sold, we wonder if fans still have a hankering for Yeezy Boosts, Slides, and Foam Runners as resale prices have tanked over time.
While the original Yeezy Day restock dates were set for the end of this month and beginning of June, it seems like their might’ve been a change of plans as word got out about the event.
Sneakerbar Detroit reports:
According to brandon1an, Adidas has removed all Yeezy releases from their calendar. It’s unclear whether this is due to rescheduling, cancellation, or simply a desire to keep the information private. Consequently, any release lists you see might change, and no SKU should be anticipated to restock until it appears on Adidas CONFIRMED. The restock was initially expected to start on May 27th and conclude on June 13th, 2024. Stay tuned for further updates.
We gotta wonder what went wrong. Though Adidas has canceled release dates before, they always eventually come back with a new one because like we said, they’re not holding a multi-million dollar “L” for no one.
What do y’all think about another Yeezy Day? Are y’all looking to copp any of those kicks? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: @hypebeastkicks / Instagram
Just a few years ago NBA players were putting down top dollar to get their hands on pairs of Nike’s Kobe Bryant sneakers as it seemed like Kobe’s estate and Nike’s relationship had come to an end.
Luckily that wasn’t the case and the Kobe’s signature line at the Swoosh brand has flourished over the past few years with players all over the league and fans across the board rocking new colorways to a few Kobe Bryant silhouettes.
Now Hypebeast is reporting that we’re getting a new installment to the ever popular Kobe 8 Proto that commemorate’s the NBA legend’s reputation for hogging NBA championships as Nike will be dropping a new “Champagne Gold” colorway that’s sure to rival the popularity of the “Grinch” Kobe 6 Protro. With the Kobe 8’s getting multiple colorways over the past few months, the “Champagne Gold”‘s really stand out as the colorway is one of the slickest we’ve seen on the model to date.
Per Hypebeast:
Now a flagship basketball model, the Protro has been updated with modern technology, featuring a restructured tongue for added comfort. The shoe’s entire upper is constructed out of Engineered Mesh in the same champagne gold shade that hits the mudguard. Black accents the Black Mamba logo on the tongue as well as the Kobe signature on the heel and Swoosh on the lateral. It sits atop a white rubber midsole and outsole to round out the design.
Yeah, these are going to be a hard copp.
The Nike Kobe 8 Protro “Champagne Gold” is set to release some time in the Fall for a cool $190. Will you be trying to copp come release day? Check out pics of the kicks and let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: Jordan Brand / NIke
At the end of last month, sneakerheads went crazy for Travis Scott’s first signature Jordan Brand sneaker, the “Jumpman Jack.” With the success of the silhouette (sold out immediately), Jordan Brand is ready to drop new colorways as heads seem to love what Travis and Jordan done cooked up in the lab.
According to Nice Kicks, a new black and mocha colorway of the “Jumpman Jack” is set to release later this year. Though sneakerheads were really hoping the black, sail and red version would be next, it seems like the mocha’s are next in line to get some play.
Per Nice Kicks:
Living up to its name, the upcoming Jordan Jumpman Jack features a predominantly dark mocha upper in suede with a black mesh base, black leather Swoosh, and a matching black midsole/outsole combination.
The Travis Scott x Jordan Jumpman Jack “Mocha” releases in 2024 for $200 via SNKRS and select retailers.
We lowkey would’ve rather have gotten the black, red and sail colorway. But it is what it is.
Are you going to be copping (or trying to at least) the new “Mocha” colorway of the Travis Scott “Jumpman Jack”? Check out pics of the other colorways, and let us know which one you prefer in the comments section below.
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty
Sneaker haven JD Sports is out here making big boy moves as they look to give Foot Locker Inc. a run for their sports apparel money.
According to Reuters, JD Sports is looking to take out more of their competition as they’re on the verge of purchasing Hibbett Inc. for a cool $1.08 billion dollars. The move comes as the sports attire field has been taking SNKRS-size losses in, and that includes the likes of juggernauts such as Reebok, Puma and Nike. Still, JD Sports is looking to expand their empire. After buying the likes of Shoe Palace, Finish Line and DTLR, JD Sports seem to be on a mission to corner the sports attire market out on these streets.
Reuters reports:
“Being part of a larger global retailer like JD Sports gives Hibbett more resources compared to its U.S. peers, Foot Locker and Dick’s,” said Cristina Fernández, analyst with Telsey Advisory Group.
JD Sports will pay $87.50 per Hibbett share in cash, representing a premium of about 20% to the U.S. firm’s last closing price.
Hibbett’s shares were up nearly 19% at $86.17 in U.S. noon trading.
JD’s acquisition of Hibbett, which has about 1,169 stores across 36 U.S. states, will extend its breadth in the country from “coast to coast”, finance chief Dominic Platt said in an analyst call.
It already owns Shoe Palace, which has a big presence on the U.S. west coast, and DTLR, which is established in the east.
“From a competitive standpoint, (the deal) puts incremental pressure on Foot Locker as JD Sports becomes a stronger player in the US,” Fernández wrote in a note.
How will Foot Locker respond to this power play? We have no idea but as long as sneakerheads get the grails that they fiend for, we riding with whoever gives us the best chances of copping. Just sayin’.
What do y’all think of JD Sports buying Hibbett Inc.? Is less competition in this field better for consumers? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty
Travis Scott’s signature Jordan sneaker line is finally about to hit the streets, and after a small shock drop went down a few months ago, the hype for the sneakers have only grown with every passing week.
According to Highsnobiety, the Jordan Brand “Jumpman Jack” is set to release April 30. Needless to say, these will be an instant sellout as the mocha colorway coupled with the reverse swoosh is basically a bank shot when it comes to sneakerheads these days. While there are a few colorways that are supposed to release in the near future, the white and mocha brown color blocking is up to bat first, and with pairs from the shock drop reselling for more than $700, you can expect these to be a hard cop.
Per Highsnobiety:
There’s also plenty of Scott insignia throughout the sneaker, such as his Cactus Jack motifs embroidered on the heels to the scribbled “Jack” on the translucent outsole, ready to wear away with time (or maybe even a single trip to the mosh pit).
The Jumpman Jack sneaker’s second biggest feature is the large strap over the forefoot, topped with raised co-branding and locking fans in for a raging ride.
Underneath these Scott-approved touches, the Jordan Jumpman Jack sneakers offer up a bit of nostalgia. The shoe’s overall shape evokes the feels of Nike’s old-school athletic shoes like the Mac Attack (Scott knows a thing about the model).
No word on how many pairs will be available come release day but given Jordan Brand’s history of only producing between 100,000 – 250,000 of their Travis Scott collaborations (millions of sneakerheads want these), we don’t have much hope that there will be enough pairs to go around come April 30.
Check out pics of the “Jumpman Jack” sneakers, and let us know if you’ll be trying to get a pair come the end of the month in the comments section below.
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Source: Nike / NIke
Just when it seemed like the hype behind the Nike “Panda” Dunks was over, the Swoosh is going to breathe new life into the ubiquitous colorway of the popular silhouette by releasing a new version of the sneaker.
According to Sneaker News, the most popular sneaker of 2023 will be getting a suede makeover, and though it seems like the shoe world has grown tired of seeing this particular pair of sneakers get re-released over and over, Nike will continue to do so as the silhouette sells out (most) every damn time. With that being the case, they might as well drop it again with a slightly different spin to it.
Sneaker News reports:
Official images of the polarizing black/white Dunk Low have surfaced, although this time around its not dressed in the standard leather. Instead, Nike is opting for some variance as it uses a suede material on the overlay, adding just a touch of new character to the most ubiquitous Nike shoe on the planet. To its credit, however, the materials appear to be more in line with the premium options, so expect better quality with these.
A release this Summer 2024 season seems probably, and with an aforementioned upgrade in material, expect an MSRP higher than $115, which is now the baseline retail price for entry-level Dunk Lows.
Remember when it was hard as hell to get a pair of “Panda” Dunks out in the wild? Then they were everywhere. So yeah, we’re good on these, but if you want a pair, go right ahead and splurge.
Check out pics of the new “Panda” Dunks, and let us know if you’ll be picking up a pair when they drop this summer in the comments section below.