When it comes to the Air Jordan Spiz’ike, you don’t even have to look past the name of the model to figure out where their inspiration came from. Spike Lee has been linked with the Air Jordan line since the 80′s, from the infamous scuffed Air Jordan IV scene in his film, Do The Right Thing, to the beloved Mars Blackmon ad campaign and more. Now, Jordan Brand will honor Spike further with this special Mars Blackmon edition of the Spiz’ike. The shoe features a White leather upper with touches of Black, Fire Red and Blue, as well as some original Grey Elephant print on the heel. To add some extra Spike-related touches, the kicks also sport a “Do You Know?” all-over print lining, a Mars lace lock and a Mars Blackmon illustration on the insole along with the tag line, “Fresh Since 1985″ printed below. These are expected to hit Jordan retailers in January, but you can already get a pair early from MarqueeSole.

Color: White/Fire Red-Black
Style: 315371-165

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His More Than a Game World Tour is a good example of why the Nike Zoom LeBron Ambassador II ORAP is appropriately named.  These photos were clearly taken in the Chinese outdoors, though that might not have been exactly what Nike designers had in mind when labeling these ORAP (Outdoor Rubber Asia Pacific).  That acronym basically means two things: first, these are XDR-equipped and perfect for balling on the nation’s innumerable concrete courts.  Second, they’re an Asian exclusive, so stick with Sneaker News for more info on their release.  via HoopChina

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Way back in 1985, when the original Michael Jordan signature model was first introduced, it was produced in the well-known leather Air Jordan 1 version that has been Retro’d in all sorts of colorways over the years. What many sneakerheads don’t know is that at the time, the shoe was also released in a variant version known as the AJKO. The AJKO versions featured a somewhat simplified design with a canvas upper and a slightly higher cut. We showed you a few pairs as part of the incredible vintage Nike collection from a few weeks back, and now a pair of the seldom-seen classics have just hit eBay.

The size 9 red/white/black Air Jordan 1 AJKO’s are used and obviously not in mint condition, but this is the type of thing that will pop up on eBay maybe only once every couple of years if you’re lucky. If you are prepared to dig deep for these, you will be getting an extremely scarce Air Jordan relic that will be sure to breed jealousy from even some of the world’s most accomplished collector’s. Check out some more pics after the jump, and you can get in on the auction for these forgotten jewels of the Air Jordan legacy now from bay_areaguy on eBay.

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Last year, London’s Silas and Maria designed a couple pairs of black Reeboks.  These Vans Sk8-His are a bit harder to miss.  They go with a black white and red colourway, typically a can’t miss.  The real eye-catching feature is the ‘SILAS’ printed side panels.  They’re block letters at a perspective so the grey depth makes it look like a novel pattern from afar rather than just some company’s name.  They’re ready for you to grab now from VA.

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It seemed like we were gearing up for an East vs West Rivals Pack, but here’s an entirely new wrinkle.  Here are two new Nike Dunk Highs for the holiday season.  The black, silver and purple pair reps the East coast in a way that’d make Cam’ron proud.  Not that it’s a clearly superiour design, but the yellow joints are the ones we’re focused on.  First off, the diagonally striped rear quarter and wing remind us of a yellow and white pair from early this year that has a sort of lenticular, old school big screen TV texture.  If you look closely at the tongue of this ‘Thunder Strike’ Dunk High, you’ll also notice that these babies say ‘NORTH’, so surely we’ll see some for the southern states soon.  Stick with Sneaker News for updates on all of these.  via HS

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There’s something about seeing pics of unreleased samples that’s so bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s in our nature as sneakerheads to want to see every Air Jordan colorway ever produced, but it can be a hard pill to swallow when you see some of the incredible kicks that never made it to retail. In the case of this Bordeaux Air Jordan VII, the colorway is nothing new to Jordan fans, but how bad does it burn you to know that these classics almost made it to stores as a Retro release? Apparently, these size 9 samples were created back in 2001, but were eventually scratched in favor of the “Raptors,” which were brought back in 2002. As of now, there is no plan to re-release these gems anytime soon, so needless to say, there are a lot of collectors out there that would kill to get their hands on these. The good news is that you can check out a ton of images after the jump, and if you’re ready to drop some serious dough, this incredibly rare size 9 sample is available now from everyonesenemy on eBay.

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He may have escaped Shaq’s massive shadow, but it will take two more Larry O’Brien Trophies before Kobe Bryant can enter the ‘Jordan’ stratosphere.  It’s unquestionable that Michael’s unmatched brilliance drives Kobe, clear that Air Jordan made a mark on Jellybean Bryant’s boy from a young age.  When he left adidas back in 2003, KB24 wore a ton of different shoes, including a wide variety of Air Jordan retros.

The following year, he signed with Nike and helped them revive the Huarache line.  The samples pictured above, then, are a glimpse into a summer romance that never was.  The Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2K4‘ x Air Jordan XI is one of those things we’d assume will never hit shelves, except for Nike’s recent zeal towards hybrid models.  It’s actually pretty straightforward, with a simple white, black and red Huarache 2K4 upper connected to an AJXI sole that is conspicuous by its use of an opque black outsole.  Take a look at the photos after the jump and let us know if you would have bought these.  via Kenlu

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Nike SB has been gearing up for Halloween by incorporating some macabre themes into their upcoming footwear.  Pictured above is the Count Dracula-inspired Nike SB Blazer High.  It goes with a simple white and off white upper constructed of canvas and nubuck, respectively.  All of this would be tame with the grey suede Swooshes added but violent splashes of deep red on the otherwise pure side panels extends to the heel tab and lining, stealing your gaze.  No word yet on whether these will wither up in sunlight, so stick with Sneaker News for updates on that and a release date.  via SneakersBR

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When pics of the Air Jordan 1 Do the Right Thing Pack first surfaced, many couldn’t help but to wonder if any of the other OG metallic colorways from 1985 would see a Retro release. Back in July, we brought news that the Grand Purple edition would in fact be back this fall. The bad news of course, is that like the True Blue Air Jordan III’s, these will be an international release, a move once again ensured to make U.S. Jordan collectors livid. You can get a nice look at some detailed images after the jump to help you decide if they’re worth the trouble. For those who refuse to let some extra shipping costs and a couple thousand miles of ocean stop them, you can get a pair now from Kix-Files.

Color: White/Grand Purple
Style: 332550-151

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Those of you who saw Michael Jordan’s Hall of Fame induction speech last Friday night probably noticed that MJ made sure to mention Leroy Smith, who, as we all know, is solely responsible for making Michael everything that he is today. In order to capitalize on his extended stay in the spotlight, Leroy has just released his “Gift To The Game” music video, a fine display of his tight grasp on all of the latest trends in music and fashion. Keep reading after the jump to see the video for a further look into the ever-broadening versatility of Leroy Smith, including a look at the inspiring dance stylings of a young Leroy.

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We’ve seen a couple Nike Hyperdunks get the Foamposite treatment.  This is another Nike Basketball shoe, albeit from an era gone by.  The Big Nike High is back with a look that ties its whole 25+ year history together.  These feature the iridescent eggplant Posite upper we’ve come to know and love, which looks excellent atop the combination of a black midsole and speckled grey outsole.  These come as something of a surprise and should drop later this month at Nike Sportswear retailers like Foot Locker.  We’ll keep you posted.

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You may have already seen some colorways of Dirk Nowitzki’s Air Max Spot Up, but this new version gives the shoe a totally new look thanks to a vibrant color scheme. Last week, we gave you a look at the Air Command Force-inspired Zoom BB III, and now it seems like this pair bears certain color palette similarities to the Sidney Deane edition of the White Men Can’t Jump Hyperize. The shoe features a Black leather/nubuck upper with hints of Baltic Blue and Varsity Maize, as well as some touches of Red and White. If you’re feeling the flavored up edition of the Air Max Spot Up, you can find a pair now at ShuhYou.

Color: Black/White-Baltic Blue-Varsity Maize
Style: 345000-011

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