Can you imagine a Nike Air Max 95 or an Air Max 1 as a basketball shoe? When pics of the Nike Zoom Don first released last year, the response was overwhelmingly positive. It was quite daring of Nike to take a classic like the Nike Zoom Spiridon and give it a beefier midsole and a higher cut, but it the basketball motif suits it well – almost too well. It’s great that the OG colorways are returning as well, as this pair is taken from the Silver, Desert Red, and Black colorway with the same mudguard material. These just dropped over at WEST so head there to pick up a pair, and expect these to hit other Nike retailers as well.

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Sneakerheads were in a frenzy last winter thanks to the re-release of the Space Jam edition of the Air Jordan XI, and this holiday season should be no different as another beloved AJ XI colorway appears to be all set for a late 2010 Retro go-around. The Cool Greys might not quite enjoy the same level of mystique as the Space Jams, but they will no doubt receive a very warm welcome nonetheless. Here we get our first look at the GS version of the Cool Greys, which features a blue tint to the ice outsole, similar to the GS version of the 25th Anniversary edition Air Jordan XI. Check out some more pics of the GS after the jump, and stay tuned for more on the Cool Greys, including an answer to whether or not the adult sizes will feature the blued sole.  Via MarqueeSole.

Style: 378037-001
Color: Medium Grey/Cool Grey-White

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The Nike Air Max 97 has definitely been the quieter Air Max of the bunch but news of the release of the “Gold Medal” Air Max 97 made enough noise for it to be put back on the radar. Inspired by an Olympic race track, the Air Max 97 features sloping lines circumventing the upper of the shoe with a full-length Air unit that was the first of its kind. Adopting the “less is more” branding, the Air Max 97 featured a small swoosh at the center of the shoe, the tongue, and an AIR MAX heel tab. You can expect the Gold Medal Air Max 97 to hit Nike retailers soon but these just dropped at WEST so head there if you need ‘em now. Still need a better look? Continue reading for a gallery of images and let us know which colorway of the 97 – Gold Medal or Silver Bullet – you like better.

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Earlier this month Nike Sportswear released a trio of pure-white kicks in perforated leather uppers, so this upcoming “Black Perf Pack” isn’t much of a surprise, is it? Serving as the yin the White Perf‘s yang, these upcoming Air Force 1 Low, Dunk High AC, and Toki releases feature an all-black upper with luxurious perforated leather construction. The Dunk High AC and Toki featured a tan/brown midsole rim but these all-black renditions do not feature a contrasting color. Each pair would be great for the upcoming fall season or perhaps as a replacement to a pair of dress shoes – but that fashion decision is your call. All three of the Nike Sportswear Black Perforated Pack are available at the UK’s Hanon so stick with Sneaker News and we’ll keep you updated regarding a stateside release.

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DC Shoes is known for their outlandish designs, be it the chunky tech-oriented skate kicks or the lifestyle side of things.  This new pair is no exception, a wild hightop design, known as the Royal, from DC team rider Rob Dyrdek.  The extra high-cut shoe sports a massively padded ankle that closes via velcro strap.  As if that weren’t enough, the woven canvas sections are framed in shiny black patent leather for a look that demands your attention.  Click the jump below for more shots and grab these from select DC LIFE retailers like Atlanta’s Standard.

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Unless you’re in the UK, the word ‘trainers’ probably conjures images of Nike designs from the late ’80s/early ’90s or perhaps Nike Training’s recent resurgence.  Here’s a look at a classic model to help you realize how far we’ve come in the footwear game, the 35th Anniversary Converse Classic Trainer.  These joints are about as simple as it gets, with a one-color suede upper adding white leather accents to match the sole plus a golden ‘All STAR’ stamp.  Appropriately part of Converse’ ‘Star Chevron’ collection, these joints are available at select SE Asian retailers, so stick with Sneaker News for word on a stateside release.  via ST

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Just yesterday, a Sneaker News reader remarked that it’s “amazing how something as simple as a vulcanized sole can bring so much style and class to a sneaker,” and that’s certainly true of the above pictured model.  Derived from a Charles Barkley-worn early 1990s basketball shoe, the Nike Auto Force 180 has shed its bully-in-the-paint mentality for a more lifestyle friendly vulc-soled look.  This version of the autoclaved Auto Force 180 looked dope in navy and white, but unfortunately got scrapped and never made the scheduled Summer 2010 release date.  Check out what could have been in more shots after the jump and if you wear US mens size 9, there’s a sample available from checkmarksthespot on eBay.

Style: 375579-400

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Roc Nation buddies J.Cole and Wale attended the BET Rising Icons Concert in New York on Tuesday night that featured Melanie Fiona. Not only are both rappers signed to Jay-Z’s new Roc Nation venture but they both happened to be wearing Air Jordan’s to the event. J.Cole arrived wearing a pair of the Air Jordan VII Olympic’s, however judging by the pictures we’re not sure if he was wearing the new For the Love of the Game pair of the original Olympic Retro’s that were released years ago. Wale however alluded to what he was wearing on his Twitter and brought out a pair of Air Jordan III True Blue’s. Also in attendance was Terrance J from BET’s 106 & Park, Estelle, Laura Izibor, and more.

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Nike has not been shy with ‘retro’-ing its classic silhouettes so by now, anyone who calls himself a sneakerhead should be well versed in the entire Air Max catalog. Thinking back on all the colorways of the Air Max 1, 90, 95, and 97 that have released and all the other in-betweeners that have dropped by here and there, such a vast quantity of shoes deserves its own classification system because it’s becoming unnervingly easy to overlook some classics that, unfortunately, will never release ever again. Case in point: the Air Max 120. It’s hard to describe a shoe that looks like a hybrid between a spider, a gazelle, and one of James Cameron’s aliens with a forefoot midsole design that looks as if the concrete you’re relentlessly pounding is trying to absorb itself into the shoe, much like Venom’s symbiote skin looking for a host. For a full gallery as well as additional info regarding this classic Air Max shoe, head over to Sneaker News HD for the entire Classics Revisited feature.

Click to below continue to the full HD.SN Classics Revisited feature.

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Kobe Bryant unveiled two brand new colorways for the NBA Finals, which he calls the “Big Stage“. Featuring a Home appropriate white and Away appropriate black, Kobe alternated between the two during his games at the Staples Center and the TD Garden. Both the Home white and Away Black were contrasted with an elegant gold color-blocking on the swoosh and heel, but what really made the shoes pop out was an interesting “tattooed” graphic on the upper of the shoe. The graphic detailed Kobe’s accomplishments throughout the ’09-’10 NBA Season, his fourteenth overall as a pro basketball player.

On the lateral side you will see ’25,970′, his total career scoring total at season’s end, ’73′ representing the games he’s played, and a star for his All-Star Game selection. The toe features the date 02.01.10 with the words ‘All Time’ printed proudly beneath, signifying the date he became the Lakers’ All-Time leading scorer. On the medial sidewall you will see a number of his other season totals, such as rebounds, assists, and so on. Entangled among the numbers is the scaly body of a Black Mamba snake. If you ever wanted a closer look at the entire graphic seen on the Big Stage Kobe V, continue reading to check out a neat layout of the entire concept and let us know what else you think should be added. via Kenlu.

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The Nike Air Trainer Max ’91 in the classic grey/yellow colorway just recently dropped, and you might remember these also retroing six years ago. Dropping in 2010 alongside the grey/yellow Trainer Max ’91 is the Black/Varsity Red/White colorway, which also dropped in 2005. Although black, red, and white don’t have much to do with Bo Jackson’s professional teams in the NFL or MLB or even the Auburn University blue and orange, the colorway is still sick and the design of the Air Trainer Max ’91 is even sicker. These have started to pop up at select Nike retailers like Politics down South so check out the extra pics of these Trainer retros and watch for these to hit shops in your area soon.

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In the fall — this is very tough — in the fall I’m taking my talents to South Beach.

The cast of JerseyShore didn’t have an hour-long special to announce their decision for another go-round in Miami, but tonight does indeed mark the 60 minute season premiere of MTV’s most talked about series.  You might wonder what that has to do with Sneaker News, but our loyal readers will remember that the Jersey Shore cast were among the first endorsers of the Reebok Zig Tech runners that debuted earlier this year.  Arguably the star of the show, Mike ‘The Situation’ shows off two pairs of Zig Tech PEs (and we use the term player exclusives loosely), one with his name across the heels, the other with the Jersey Shore boys’ favorite routine: GTL.  Click the jump below to see Terry Richardson’s latest take on The Situation and Vinny, who’s captured in mid air rocking the Air Jordan VI (6) ‘Motorsports’.

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