Here’s a shoe that brings a nice ‘What If?’ story along with it.  The Nike Zoom Kobe V is pictured above in a colourway that evokes the classic Charlotte Hornets jerseys.  Perhaps *the* ’90s uniform, the Hornets switched up their palette upon moving to New Orleans around the turn of the century.

You’ve gotta wonder, if Kobe hadn’t been traded to the Lakers on Draft Day ’96, would the Charlotte Bobcats even exist?  And if not, would Kobe have become the megastar we know today, especially without Shaq?  And doesn’t that beg the question, if Kobe stayed in Charlotte, would he have ever even left adidas for Nike?!  It’s enough to make your head hurt, but luckily the shoes themselves are a sight for sore eyes.  Take a look at more photos after the jump and stick with Sneaker News for updates.  via shop34078581

Style: 386429-100

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Jean-Michel Basquiat is the Tupac Shakur of sneaker collaborations.  Both of these guys have gained posthumous fame thanks to stockpiled works, and the ongoing collection of Basquiat-’designed’ Reeboks is exposing the late neo-expressionist to a crowd that might have never heard his name.  With the Fall/Winter 2010 capsule, you can expect the Basquiat signature scrawlings in a bunch of wild colours, added to some of RBK’s greatest hits.  We see the Dual Pump Runner, Top Down and Pump Omni Lite; can you pick out the others?  via Provider

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The color combo you see here might not do much for you in terms of grabbing your attention, but it is without a doubt one of the most iconic Nike Dunk colourways to ever release. While the shades might be off by a few degrees, the red/grey colourway – also known as the “Ultraman” – was part of the original City Attack series and was thusly reproduced a number of times. While this Nike WMNS Dunk High has a white swoosh (like the U.S release of the Nike Dunk Ultraman) and an intriguing digital graphic like the Nike WMNS Dunk High Skinny Red Leds, the basic red/grey is still the centerpiece and strikes a profound note in many sneakerhead hearts. These should hit the States shortly, and they are now available at French e-tailer magarderobe.

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James Bond and David Beckham have redefined the term ‘Gazelle’, so why not keep going with the newspeak?  Here comes the adidas Originals Americana Mid from Beckham’s ObyO Collection.  It’s probably not exactly what would come to mind when you picture ‘American sneakers’, but when you consider the sea change toward lifestyle designs, it’s actually a pretty reasonable name.  This pair comes in a lightly tumbled brown leather that keeps the strappy and zippered design from coming off too much like a motorcycle boot.  The latest baby from Becks and Bond is now available from Crooked Tongues.  via HS

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Let’s take a closer look at two upcoming Nike Zoom Kobe V high school PEs.  First up, Kobe Bryant’s alma mater, the Philly-area Lower Merion Aces.  This year’s Aces PE is done up in a roughly half-and-half mix of metallic silver and burgundy, with some white on the rear midsole for balance.  Pretty much the same deal for Harlem’s Rice HS, except with their traditional green and yellow.  Each team has its logo on the upper heel just above Kobe’s signature, which has to be one of the coolest things imagineable for a high school athlete.  These usually end up at House of Hoops, so you’ll prolly have a shot at ‘em too, just stick with Sneaker News for updates.  via HK-Kicks

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adidas brought out a bunch of Artillery(s) for the NBA’s biggest All Star Weekend ever.  They outfitted the Celebrity All Star Game, which featured some people who might be C-listers, but they’re considerably more popular here in the states than Three Stripes’ latest collaborator.  The SLICK x adidas Originals pack is sure to change that.  There are two wildly coloured adidas Originals Artillery II Mids here, loosely resembling the Bulls and Hornets colourways, respectively.  Both pairs feature Slick himself on the tongue and custom embroidery on the heels.  Another two pairs of Vulc Mids use similar palettes, so all of the shoes are compatible with a range of Slick x adidas Originals hoodies and tees.  via HS // XLARGE

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It’s increasingly common these days to see top tier signature basketball shoes released in college PE colourways.  The guys at Wake Forest aren’t supposed to be making any money off their hard work, so these Air Jordan CP3.III Player Exclusives are a nice extra.  The two pairs pictured above flip the black and white sections to let you know whether they’ll be used at home or on the road, with yellow contrast stitching and ‘WF’ on the tongue tag finishing off the Deamon Deacons’ motif.  No word yet on whether these will join the ranks of Jordan Brand alma mater PEs on House of Hoops shelves, but they’ll be on display Saturday as the Deacs take on recently PE’d UNC.

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The former basketball model and now adidas Originals mainstay Nizza High – part of the adidas Originals OT Tech Pack – has been a fan favorite for quite some time. Last summer the Nizza came adorned with a zipper that spanned the entire high of the shoe, going from the heel to the ankle. This re-invented Nizza High is set to re-release in a wider distribution (if you couldn’t get your hands on a pair last time) in four great colourways – black, navy, red, and olive. Each pair has a single-colored upper, white toe-cap, vulcanized midsole, and the newly infused zipper on the rear, with each pair stamped with a uniquely colored adi logo on the tongue. Look for the Nizza High Zip Pack at adidas Originals retailers soon. via FnG.

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Sneakerheads collectively erupted with joy at the announcement this week that the 25th Anniversary Air Jordan III, IV and IX will all release on March 20th.  Only catch is, each model will only be available at some stores, so it will take a bit of coordination to get the entire set.  Well, if you happen to be in or have connects down South of the Border, you might be in luck.  Colmilludo reports that Mexican boutique Shelter will have these Pure Air Jordan IIIs starting on March 3rd, so you might be able to work with that (on eBay at the very least).  Take a look at some new photos after the jump and stick with Sneaker News for all the Air Jordan 25th Anniversary release dates.

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In case you missed last night’s game in Boston, LeBron James is still hanging after absorbing contact.  This dude’s a beast on the level of say, a Rolls Royce Phantom, and King James broke out the best for Thursday night’s Bean Town beatdown.  The Nike Air Max LeBron VII has released in a black Phantom colorup with gold trim, but those were leather.  This Alternate Phantom AML7 is totally murked out and features suede in place of leather along the swooping mudguard.  A clean look made all the more impressive by finally getting a win at TD Garden, check out more photos of the Air Max LeBron VII Suede Phantoms after the jump.  via Yahoo!

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With two distinct Scottie Pippen-based hybrid designs on the way, Nike Sportswear is dropping one of the 6-time NBA Champ’s best loved signatures.  The Nike Air Pippen 1 was never released in this white/orange colourway, mostly cos Scottie was always playing for teams in red and black.  Looks like he would have done well in Phoenix, judging from these, and they have a very appealing summer look for your upcoming fashion needs.  Expect these at retailers like Foot Locker in late June.

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With all the Skytop IIs and TK Society releases getting a lot of shine, you may have forgotten about the Supra Cruizer.  This lowtop is a testament to the cross pollination of skate and basketball sneakers, a clearly skateable shoe that owes much to the iconic Air Jordan IV design, and really, Jays in general.  They pumped out a couple Grape and Aqua colourups last year and now this trio of new Cruizers is each derived from one of the OG AJIV releases.  You get one in white with red and black accents, one in black with cement grey and white and the last pair has Military Blue intentions.  Check your local Supra retailer today.

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