Nike’s about to drop another super-limited deluxe edition Blue Lobster SB Dunk at Concepts, but this Quickstrike was perhaps even more surprising.  The Nike Air Force 1 Premium QK ‘Jones Beach’ reps NY’s state park with an interesting design.  In what will apparently be the only canvas AF1 this entire year (Mayor’s dope Bespoke edition notwithstanding), the entire forefoot is covered in a rich sand-coloured textile.  The rear quarter/heel area is leather with a seaweed print, while other Jones Beach details include the water tower tongue tag and translucent sole revealing the outline of Long Island.  Taking these up a notch is their crazy limited availability.  They’re set to drop next week, ONLY at Hempstead’s Street Gear.  Take a look at the pics after the jump and feel free to call them to inquire, as they will be taking phone orders.  via NT

Street Gear Inc. | Map
245 Fulton Avenue
Hempstead, NY 11550
(516) 538-1603

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Here we have an extremely rare pair of Air Jordan XII’s that were produced during Michael’s brief comeback stint as a member of the Washington Wizards. The kicks feature a white upper with blue and gold accents and a black outsole, making them a pretty interesting piece to the Air Jordan legacy. This pair was a wear test sample and although they were obviously roughed up a little bit during their trial run, they’re still looking pretty fresh. Besides a little bit of general wear, the kicks also feature a hand-written number 2 on both shoes’ midsoles, most likely to indicate the former tester. Now you can give them a wear-test of your own by picking up this super-rare Wizards Air Jordan XII sample on eBay.

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Earlier in the week, we gave you a preview of two Nike Air Flightposite II models that will be dropping next year and it appears that one of the colorways was already created all the way back in 2000. While he was still a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, this Metallic Zinc/Black Air Flightposite II was whipped up for Kevin Garnett and even features some personalized touches like his name on the heel of both shoes. A lot of sneakerheads are anxiously awaiting the return of the Flightposite II, but if you can’t wait until the Retro release, this look-see sample is available now on eBay with the original factory tags still hanging off them. Keep reading after the jump for some more detailed looks at these kicks and good luck with the bidding if you decide you can’t wait until spring 2010.

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Apparently, the guys in the NBA aren’t the only ones who get the honor of receiving their own PE’s. There are several WNBA players who have recently been seen rocking personalized versions of LeBron’s Zoom Soldier III that have been specially colored up to match the uniforms of their respective squads. WNBA stars like Sue Bird, Seimone Augustus and Candice Dupree have all been spotted in some fresh Zoom Soldier III PE’s that have to be making some of the male players in the NBA pretty jealous. You can take a look at a bunch of very interesting colorways of the shoe after the jump. Via LRJ23.

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Eric Koston’s signing with Nike SB might be the big news for Beaverton’s skate label this week, but let’s not forget their other signature riders.  The Nike SB Zoom Tre A.D. release for June looks great in its all black upper.  There are traces of gold around the upper, while a white midsole and gum rubber outsole perfectly balance the otherwise stark contrast.  Even though these just dropped, we found a great deal and you can grab a pair for only 80 bucks from Shoe Jocky.

Style: 318235-072

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Back in April, we gave you a look at two alternate versions of this Zoom LeBron Soldier III, and now that they have begun to hit stores, we finally get a look at the official retail version. These kicks have a real slick look to them thanks to the Black patent leather upper with White straps and a White mesh underlay, but the stylish touch that adds the cherry on top has to be the Baltic Blue transparent outsole. Additional Baltic Blue accents are also scattered around the upper to bring the color scheme together and the result is arguably one of the best Zoom Soldier III colorways yet. These kicks have just arrived at House of Hoops and select Foot Lockers, so don’t hesitate if you’ve been patiently waiting for them. If you’re still undecided, you can check out some more detailed shots after the jump. Via FootLockerUnlocked.

Color: Black/White-Baltic Blue
Style: 354815-013

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In a year marked by a ton of new chukka releases, Gravis is tossing its hat into the boot-like ring.  The Gravis Chuck LX has just dropped in two clean new colourways.  There’s one with a black leather upper, and one in white, both of which are quilted.  These also share white soles with a black foxing band, plus zebra striped linings for a little flair.  Though they’re Japanese exclusives, you can cop one of 25 pairs of each colour of these today from the UK’s own Size?

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Most of you should have caught the NBA Finals Game 4 in Orlando and some of you might be wondering what sneakers Kobe was wearing. We’ll leave the who-won, who-lost stuff out in case you want to catch the rerun tonight. Kobe once again had a pair of exclusive Zoom Kobe IV on for the finals, he was rocking an alternate black based colorway of the Zoom Kobe IV 61 Points he first wore in Game 1. No word on a release date or availability but stay tuned to Sneaker News for the updates.

Check out the close up of the shoe below and let us know which colorway you like more.

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Back in the late 80′s and early 90′s, Nike gave the whole sneaker game a lesson in the importance of marketing. As if it wasn’t enough that Michael Jordan was well on his way to becoming the greatest basketball player ever, his sneakers were becoming legendary in their own right. Besides Mike’s on-court success and the fact that the Air Jordan line of sneakers was on another level of style and design brilliance from anything else on the market, there was some marketing genius at work creating a mystique around Michael and his kicks in a way that had never been executed so brilliantly within the realm of athlete endorsements.

Joining Michael in many of these promotional endeavors was Spike Lee (a.k.a. Mars Blackmon), at the time an up and coming film director with a passion for Air Jordan sneakers. The two-man team of Spike and Mike partnered up for a series of commercials and print ads for the sneakers that were not only successful at the time, but have become infamous as some of the most effective and enduring ad campaigns of all time. After the jump, you can take a stroll down memory lane with a nice retrospective of the Michael Jordan/Mars Blackmon era and the marketing revolution that it helped to spark. Via NT.

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This Dunk Low Pro SB dropped last month as part of the May Nike SB collection and although they sport a pretty nice color scheme, they did not receive the level of fanfare enjoyed by many other Dunk SB models. These kicks have been nicknamed Patagonia’s because of their similarities to the Patagonia brand’s logo color scheme. They feature a navy suede upper with a black leather mid panel and a light grey toe box and tongue. Additional accents are provided by a royal blue Swoosh and lining and a bright red hue on the tongue and heel. If these flew under your radar, be aware that you can still find some pairs floating around eBay, so move fast if you missed them.

Color: Black/Academy Blue
Style: 304292–042

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The Nike Air Hoop Structure has been building a nice buzz lately thanks to some recent previews of a few upcoming colorways. While a couple of the Air Hoop Structure color schemes seem to be based on some classic Air Jordan models, this pair that we first showed you all the way back in January adopts the palette from the original Air Structure Triax 91. The result looks to be an overwhelming success, proving that the early 90′s running shoe colorway can be just as applicable to a hybrid basketball model almost 20 years later. So far, the Air Hoop Structure has been receiving some very good feedback and with more colorways like this, the shoe figures to have a bright future ahead. These are expected to drop some time later this year as part of the holiday ’09 collection, so stay tuned for the specific release details. Via Leaders 1354.

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For some NBA role players, it’s pretty easy to get lost in obscurity, especially when you’re the backup to one of the league’s best players at your position. For Orlando Magic reserve center, Marcin Gortat, more recognition has recently meant more problems. The Polish big man has made a name for himself this year in the NBA Playoffs, getting praised by his coach and popping up on some free agent radars around the league. Gortat’s NBA Finals spotlight has even prompted Reebok, who he has a modest shoe contract with, to take exception with the Jordan Jumpman tattoo on his leg. Reebok is not too happy with a player that wears their shoes also sporting a permanent advertisement for their biggest rival on his leg. They have asked Gortat to either wear higher socks or to actually cover his Jordan ink with makeup. So far, Gortat has been less than willing to comply, making these statements when asked about the “controversy”:

“‘They called and said I had to do something about it, but that ain’t going to happen,’ Gortat said after Tuesday morning’s workout. ‘I’ve been wearing it 4-5 years now, and it helped me get to the NBA. 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. I’ve heard from other people that even other players, if they don’t know my name, they know I’m the big white guy with the Jordan tattoo,’ he said. ‘I like that. Reebok will have to get used to that.’”  Via YahooSports.

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