When buying some of your aged grails, the question asked most frequently is: “Are they wearable?”. For Gilbert, his 2002 Air Jordan VI Low weren’t only wearable, but suitable for the NBA court, because just last night, Gilbert Arenas reached back into his sneaker closet and whipped out the Air Jordan VI Low White/University Blue. Gilbert’s sneaker game for the 2010-11 NBA Season has read like a best-of compilation because he’s pretty much all the hot releases of the year – but this bonus track from 2002 is certainly an awesome treat. So what will ‘ol Gil wear next? Air Jordan IX in University Blue, maybe the ‘For The Love of the Game’ Jordan IX, or something with a little Wizards gold like the Air Jordan XI Defining Moments Package? Or perhaps a Nike Basketball Retro like the Air Go LWP or the Air Max CB 34 in Black/Glass Blue? Check out Gilbert’s kicks after the jump and vote for what you shoe is the most likely to appear on Gil’s feet next. via ESPN.

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Known for their sleek Euro styling, German-based brand Puma has taken a page from several American sneaker companies of late, offering their own chukka-inspired lifestyle design.  The Puma Hawthorne Mid is a worthy addition to the growing lifestyle market, its four new releases for the holiday season each looking great in monochromatic suede with tonal laces.  Click on the jump below to check out pairs in blue, sand, wine and black, all of which ride white Puma Match soles, save the sand joints that use a gum bottom instead.  Are these better than the Vans Chukka (del Barco), Nike Aina or Jordan Grown series?  Let us know with a comment and look for the Puma Hawthorne today at select retailers.

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adidas Originals seems to tease us with another wild animal-inspired design for spring 2011 every day, but Three Stripes by no means has a monopoly on the zoo route.  Check out these new Vans Sk8-His from the Vans Classics spring 2011 collection.  These joints are about as clean as you could get with a leopard print, keeping it to the side panels and opting for black everywhere else.  A single brass eyelet and red tongue tag are either really strange or straight-up genius and those tiny details take this design from being borderline-cheesy to far more interesting.  Definitely one of those times when the sum is greater than its parts, these should hit Off the Wall retailers soon after the calendar turns. via FNG.

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This afternoon, Sneaker News brought you a first official look at the freshly unveiled Jordan CP3.IV live from the JB media event currently being held in New Orleans, and now it’s time to get a better look at the fourth signature Jordan shoe for point guard phenom, Chris Paul. With any signature shoe line, the idea is to make every new step in the series better than those that came before it, and this time around, it seems that Jordan has hit the nail right on the head. Built for the speed and quickness of one of the NBA’s most electrifying athletes, for the CP3.IV, Chris Paul and JB designer Jayson Mayden made a concerted effort to come up with a shoe that’s lighter and lower without sacrificing any of the lockdown and support needed to keep the foot securely in place when making the type of high-speed cuts and deft maneuvers that the Hornets point guard is well known for.

Aside from the lower cut, new design touches like a Podulon outsole, Hyperfuse-inspired upper, carbon fiber and an extended traction pattern that creeps up the heel and lateral side of the toe area have all been chosen with Chris’s style of play in mind. Aside from some of the tech advancements, it could also be argued that this is perhaps the best looking shoe so far in the CP3 series as well. A variety of materials comprise the upper of the shoe with sections of perforations and mesh improving breathability as well as providing some nice aesthetics. Further touches like the heel details and pointed lace tip covers add an additional dose of style to ensure that the latest incarnation in the series looks as good as it performs. Keep reading for a detailed look at both the Black/Orion Blue and ‘Blackout’ colorways, both of which will be hitting retail next month. Stay tuned for more coverage from the CP3.IV unveiling.

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French captains of cool La MJC have once again teamed up with Parisian boutique colette and New Balance on a sneaker whose beauty belies its brief period in the hype machine.  The La MJC x colette x New Balance 1500 makes the most of this classic silhouette’s clean, simple lines with a bold red suede construction that finds relief in grey and white accents.  The insoles read “VIVRE SANS TEMPS MORTS”, which translates to “live without dead time”, which we’d assume would be the case for anyone who’s enjoying a life lucky enough to get a pair of these.  Check out a bunch of great photos after the jump and get ready cos these will hit colette and the Cool Cats website this Saturday, December 18th.

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The Air Jordan Collezione Countdown Packages featured a pairing of two Air Jordan Legacy models in which their numbered designations totaled to “23″. One such package included the Air Jordan IX and the Air Jordan XIV; the Air Jordan IX returned in the original colorway but the Air Jordan XIV, while featuring a Bull-ish combination of colors, was completely new. It featured a tonal black upper with white contrast stitching and varsity red accents on the upper – but this unreleased sample of the Air Jordan XIV Collezione could have changed the entire package.

Take a look at this unreleased sample of the Air Jordan XIV, originally set to be a part of the 9/14 Package. Red contrasting stitching on the upper and a matching red outsole as well as a red heel-tab comprise the primary differences between the released version and this sample. The colorway motif of this version is actually very similar to the Air Jordan XX1 Collezione, which also featured a red outsole and black upper. Which of the two do you prefer? Take a look at the detailed images after the jump and make sure you vote at the very end. via Kenlu.

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Despite a heartbreaking loss to the Detroit Pistons in the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals, Michael Jordan maintained a stoic demeanor while speaking to reporters on the court following the game. But inside, Michael Jordan was a ‘raging bull’, seething for another opportunity to take down the Detroit Pistons and advance to the NBA Finals. The 1990-91 NBA Season was one of the most efficient seasons of Jordan’s entire career; while still maintaining a scoring average of over thirty a game, Michael played only thirty-seven minutes per outing, which marked a career low for his entire tenure as a Chicago Bull. Michael Jordan took home an MVP Award while being placed on the All-NBA and All-Defensive 1st Team, but it wasn’t until June 12th, 1991 that Jordan received the trophy he had been yearning for over seven years.

After utterly dismantling the Eastern Conference throughout the first three rounds of the Playoffs, Michael Jordan embarked on his first-ever trip to the NBA Finals, facing off against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. The highly-anticipated series wasn’t nearly as competitive as fans though, as the Finals wrapped up in a mere five games. Michael Jordan took home the NBA Finals MVP for averaging 31.2 points, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks, but his most memorable moment among that heap of stats was his legendary mid-air hand-switching lay-up that marked Jordan’s thirteenth field goal made in a row for the game. Scottie Pippen ran out the clock to end the game, and Michael Jordan had finally reached the ultimate goal – winning the NBA Championship. Overwhelmed with emotions of joy and the sense of triumph, Jordan broke down in tears, clutching the Naismith Trophy in his hands, while being consoled by his father. June 12th, 1991 – truly a defining moment of Michael Jordan’s career.

So what did he wear during his first championship? That one’s easy – the Tinker Hatfield-designed Air Jordan VI. The design of the shoe was a summation of a number of ideas – firstly as an evolutionary step forward from the Air Jordan V, then with inspirations from the classic Blucher-style dress shoe as well as Jordan’s Porsche. Michael Jordan introduced the Air Jordan VI during the 1991 NBA All-Star Game in the beloved Black/Infrared colorway, finished off the rest of the NBA regular season wearing the White/Infrared colorway, and reverted back to Black for the NBA Playoffs – and for one game, despite an injury, preferred to endure pain and wear his own Jordans over a protective shoe. It wasn’t until the 1991-92 Season that Michael wore the ‘Carmine’, which is considered to be one of the greatest Air Jordans of all time. Other original colorways included Maroon and Sport Blue, and later the Olympic, Midnight Navy, and three low-cut colorways. Later, in 2006, the Air Jordan VI released as part of the Defining Moments Package, adopting the Black/Gold lux motif, and in 2010, the ‘Infrared Pack’ released alongside five all-new Retro colorways. Continue reading for a full gallery of images and video of Michael Jordan and the Air Jordan VI, and stay tuned to Sneaker News for the next installment of Michael Jordan Through The Years.

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A pair of Jordans never looked so good. Atlanta-native and pop-star Ciara celebrated the launch of her latest album yesterday at Drai’s in Hollywood, California. Ciara, who has donned plenty of adidas in the past, was spotted with the Air Jordan V Retro in red suede – one half of the Air Jordan V Toro Bravo Pack of 2009 – with destructed jeans, a flannel and an Atlanta Braves New Era fitted cap. So what do you think of Ciara’s “goodies” this time around? Check out the extra shots of Ciara partying it up and let us know what you think.

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Two original colorways of the Air Max 95 were transplanted onto the Air Max 24/7 earlier this year, and there’s no doubt that those were the most popular colorways. Another original colorway from the flagship ’95 year was this grey/orange colorway, and when Sneaker News offered a preview of this shoe back in April, the hype surrounding this hybrid shoe grew immensely. Just in time for the holiday season is the Orange Blaze colorway of the Air Max 24/7, and if you’ve been one of the many who have been fiending for this pair, find them at Nike Sportswear now or snag a pair from StepToRun on eBay.

Style: 397252-011
Color: Neutral Grey/Orange Blaze-Medium Grey-Cool Grey

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Sneaker News filled you in on the Nike Zoom Kobe VI iD last Friday, and with the Kobe VI iD launching on December 24th, many of you Kobe fans probably have had a ball playing around with the colors and iD-able options. In case you want an idea of what the final result would be, here’s a look at some actual samples of the Kobe VI iD in a wide array of possible colorways. Alongside the classic Lakers colorways is a mix of five others, like a ‘Duke’, ‘Bred’, and even one taken after the Kaws x Nike Air Force 1. In addition to the actual samples is notice of two different options for the snake-skin upper shell; a gradient scheme as well as a camouflage print looks to be two available options, exponentially increasing the iD-able possibilities. Take a look after the jump and let us know what you think. via aaront.

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Here’s a preview at two upcoming colorways of the timeless and classic Air Max runner. The first pair features a Black, Medium Grey, and Dark Shadow with sky blue accents on the lace-hoops as well as the Air Unit with black mesh on the the in-step of the shoe, for a darker color-gradient than the original. The second pair, previously previewed on Sneaker News, features a combination of a basic Neutral Grey and other darker shades with a vibrant splash of Chlorine Blue. Both fresh new colorways of the Air Max 95 are scheduled for a touch-down in the coming Spring 2011 season so take a closer look after the jump and stick with Sneaker News for updated release info.

Style: 609048-039
Color: Black/Medium Grey-Dark Shadow

Style: 609048-038
Color: Neutral Grey/Chlorine Blue

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Young boys can be like (baby) bulls in china shops, perhaps even more in Chicago shoes?  The Air Jordan 13 Retro GS ‘Bulls’ allows your little sneakerheads to capture part of a regular season they’d normally only be able to enjoy via ESPN Classic.  Originally released in the 1997-98 campaign that saw Michael Jordan go on to win his sixth NBA championship, these joints have retained the vibrant suede and rich white leather of the originals. Earlier today we showed you this colorway for mens and a full-size retro run including mens is set to drop this Saturday, but you can already grab the grade size AJXIII ‘Bulls’ from StepToRun on eBay.

Style: 414574-101
Color: White/Black-Varsity Red

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