Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers will be deeply rooted into the Playoffs once May arrives, and while many of you Kobe fans will have your fingers crossed for Zoom Kobe VI ‘Big Stage‘ or even a ‘Six Rings’ colorway, you can still enjoy these two May 2011 releases. The Black/Concord Purple gradient upper was debuted by Kobe in late February, but won’t release until May 5th, and the second ‘Draft Day‘ colorway (from the Charlotte Hornets, the original team that selected him in 1996) will drop on May 26th. Check out detailed images of both upcoming colorways after the jump, and let us know which of the two you like better.

Style: 429659-010
Color: Black/Metallic Silver-Concord-White
Release Date: May 5th, 2011

Style: 429659-102
Color: White/Black-Chlorine-Orion Blue
Release Date: May 26th, 2011

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Sneaker News first showed you preview images of Nike Sportswear’s ‘White Pack’ last week and already these classic kicks with the immortal summertime look are beginning to hit European retailers.  Pictured above is the Nike Dunk High Premium done in a crinkled patent leather whose unique texture offers both shine and depth of tone, the latter of which is enhanced greatly by its resting place atop an icey translucent sole.  Through those semi-clear bottoms you can make out a fingerprint-like pattern on the bottom, a fitting detail considering the essentially infinite customization possibilities just from adding a pair of your own laces.  Click through to get a better look at the White Pack Dunk Highs and expect them at US NSW accounts soon; Germany’s Schuh-You just got theirs.

Style: 408174-103
Color: White/White-Obsidian

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It’s always fun to design a 1of1 on NIKEiD, but sometimes you might feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options and decide to leave the colorblocking to the professionals.  So if you’re searching for some perfectly balanced new runners for spring, look no further than this new quartet of Nike LunarHaze+es.  Each of these pairs maximizes the LunarHaze’s swooping designs by offering two-toned midsoles that converge into the accented heel counter.  Check out new pairs in white/grey, black/grey, grey/purple/black and a Chicago home colorway that rounds out the group and if you like what you see, cop yours today from NikeStore.

Style: 429895-050
Color: Wolf Grey/Club Purple-Black-Pro Platinum

Style: 429895-001
Color: Black/Black-Dark Grey-Pro Platinum

Style: 429895-106
Color: Summit White/Sport Red-Black-Cool Grey

Style: 429895-110
Color: White/White-Black-Dark Grey

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In recent years, the phrase ‘Air Max Plus’ would have you thinking about Apple integrated running, but before the ‘+’ was applied to most Swoosh runners, it meant something else entirely.  Released even before the heyday of Napster and three years before the first iPod hit retail, the Nike Air Max Plus hit store shelves as a ‘tuned’ up alternative to the Air Max 98.  Their technology and aesthetics have aged gracefully and now the Flywire-equipped Air Max Plus 1.5 is ready to make another run at top performance.  This new Cool Grey and Team Orange colorup is right in line with the simple yet head-turning palettes we’ve come to expect of late and you can see more after the jump, then head over to Eastbay to grab a pair today.

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Carmelo Anthony finally broke out a Knicks-centric colorway of the Air Jordan Melo M7 to match New York’s St. Patrick’s Day green uniforms and followed that up with a bright orange Future Sole M7.  We had been eagerly anticipating such color coordination since his February trade from the Denver Nuggets but Melo was back in black for the Knicks’ Monday night game against Boston at Madison Square garden.  The choice of an all-black suede Melo M7 was a curious one in light of both teams wearing their classic jerseys, the Knicks’ version of which has no black unlike the newer uniform, yet they still managed a cohesive look thanks to Carmelo’s signature long black socks and knee pads.  Click through to get a better look at this icey-soled M7 and let us know how they compare to the others we’ve shown you here on Sneaker News’ ongoing NBA Feet feature.  via JB

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As is the case with the entire Brand With the Three Stripes, adidas Skateboarding is ‘All In’.  We’ve seen the rapid-fire TV spot with that same name receive a two-minute build out that featured more of their stylings and now the brand’s grinders are given a promo video all their own.  This video details some of the exploits of adidas Skate stars like Mark Gonzales, Dennis Busenitz and Silas Baxter-Neal killin’ it in the beautiful Brazilian cities Sao Paolo and Rio de Janiero in what figures to be something of a prelude to Three Stripes’ eventual domination of the latter come the 2014 World Cup.  Click through to watch the video in its entirety and stick with Sneaker News for the latest adidas Skate releases.

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We haven’t seen a new colorway in a little over six months but when the new releases were coming out regularly, the Air Jordan Team ISO was among Jordan Brand’s better received team models in recent years.  The name is back but its silhouette has changed somewhat for the Team ISO Low, a design that’s perhaps closer to a sequel to the Ol’ School II and III (but not IV) than a true lowtop of the OG Team ISO.  One place the similarity is clear is on the tooling, where a grey sole meets a white midsole in a combo that echoes the rest of this summertime look’s construction.  Click through to see more and if you like what you see, look for these at select JB retailers like FinishLine.

Style: 440567-101
Color: White/Metallic Silver

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The Gourmet Quattro does a great job of bridging the brand’s Air Jordan-inspired beginnings with their status as growing into one of the more pleasing lifestyle sneaker catalogs in the industry.  And just like Nike before them branching out into the skate market with the classic Dunk basketball silhouette, Gourmet has been able to translate the AJXII-derived Quattro hightop into a skate model.  This sleight of foot has also transformed the silhouette sufficiently that the Quattro Skate now borrows even more like the Twelve’s signature mudguard panels, mutating this asymmetrical look into a well-placed ollie protection area.  Two new tonal suede and tumbled leather pairs have added translucent outsoles and await your click on the jump below, so have a better look at red and brown pairs and let us know which ones you prefer.  via Dunk

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The Yohji Yamamoto x adidas Y-3 collaboration is among the industry’s longest running and most prolific, not to mention most expensive on a pair to pair basis.  But it can definitely warrant the steep price tag when you can couple premium construction with standout style, and that’s exactly what you’ll get with this new pair of Y-3 Hayworth II Mids.  Really more of a hightop, the second Hayworth is done in a tonal black look with and orange liner that might bring Halloween to mind, with the distinct heel counter on this pair suggesting you should go as a 1960s recording artist.  Then again, it’s just as easy to match these with a pair of selvage denim and be on your way, so click through for a better look and grab yours direct from Y-3.

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Yesterday, Sneaker News gave you a look at a true Air Jordan collector’s gem – an Original pair, from 1988, of the Air Jordan III in White/True Blue. Following up on that sweet find is the trademark color of the Air Jordan III – the White/Cement Grey edition worn by Michael during the historic 1988 NBA Dunk Contest. Michael soared through the atmosphere, taking off from the free-throw line, propelled by his Nike Airs, finishing off a slam dunk that earned him the 1988 crown and one of the most memorable images in sports history. This original pair features the supreme leather that was used back in ’88, with a true vintage appeal with the cracked, yellowed midsole, and the Nike Air badge on the heel. Want to see how much these are going for? Take a look at the gallery below and check out the auction from b.!.z on eBay.

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Last week, Sneaker News brought you an introductory look at Jordan Geller’s awe-inspiring ShoeZeum – the first of a 10-part feature exploring what just might be the most impressive sneaker collection on earth. Now that you have a rough feel for the cavernous layout, it’s time to take a closer peek inside, as we take you through some of the collection’s most noteworthy displays. The ShoeZeum has been meticulously divided up into different categories and displays, with the first stop on the tour being the ‘Welcome To The ShoeZeum’ area. This section serves as a greeting area for visitors, with a large part of the emphasis on capturing the feel of some of the hometown amenities that San Diego is best known for.

After being welcomed by the three “Money Cats” during a cruise past the former Sneak’s Kicks inspection station, you will make your way into the first area of shelf displays spotlighting a tribute to two of San Diego’s biggest tourist attractions – Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. Countless sea-creature and animal-inspired Nike shoes are strewn about among their corresponding decorative effects, with highlights being the Lobster and Panda Dunk displays, as well as some clever nods to animal print and reptile materials and an homage to the “DQM Bacon” family of kicks. Also of note are the Ugly Dunkling and Three Bears Dunks which are showcased along with themed props and even copies of the children’s books that the stories originated from.

Continuing on from the Dunklings, a nod to the Joker’s purple and green color scheme leads into an area featuring a variety of comic book and cartoon-inspired kicks that Jordan intended to serve as a common point of interest for visitors to the ShoeZeum, regardless of their appreciation or knowledge of sneakers. After a whimsical stroll through the cartoon shoes and their stuffed toy counterparts, you will come to an exhibit housing a selection of shoes based on California, the USA and San Diego’s neighbor to the south, Mexico. To the left of this display sits one of Jordan’s most prized pieces in The ShoeZeum, a ‘Cali’ SB Dunk signed by former eBay CEO, Meg Whitman.

A quick 180 degree turn from there and you’ll be facing the final welcoming touch. In a further tribute to the city that The ShoeZeum calls home, you’ll find a bit of local sports flavor thanks to some LaDainian Tomlinson shoes and collectibles and a pair of the LA Map lasered Air Force 1′s. To the right sits one of the ShoeZeum’s most over-the-top features, a pair of the SB Dunk Broncos sitting atop, what else, but a Ford Bronco. Keep reading after the jump for an introduction video that will further lay out what you’re about to see, and head over to Sneaker News HD for the full gallery of the ‘Welcome To The ShoeZeum’ display. Don’t forget to check back this Thursday night for Part 3 of our adventures inside The ShoeZeum.

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The field of 32 has been chopped in half, as we begin the Sweet 16 Voting for the Sneaker News March Madness OG Air Jordan Tournament. We’ve got some big-time match-ups in the West Region; the #1 overall seed Air Jordan III Black/Cement will go toe-to-toe with the recently re-released Air Jordan XIII ‘Flint’ in a battle that should go down to the wire, while #2 seed Air Jordan IV White/Cement takes on the #3 seed and hottest Air Jordan topic today – the Air Jordan VII Bordeaux. These match-ups are truly up to date as there is no clear-cut winner, but it’s up to you to vote for your favorite shoe to advance to the Elite Eight. The polls are open now, and you have until Sunday, March 27th at midnight, so be sure to get your votes in before it’s too late!

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