The Nike Elite Youth Baksetball League brings together top-tier traveling 17 & under basketball teams for a series of games that culminates with a tournament in July.  Each of the 24 participants in that tourney will earn a contract with Nike for the following season, and if that gear is anywhere near the quality of this Nike Zoom Hyperfuse Low, they’re in for a treat.  The EYBL Hyperfuse Low manages to totally avoid a ‘Christmas’ characterization thanks to precisely chosen shades of intense red and vibrant green.  The end result is far more like a watermelon, and with the icey sole as its finishing touch, maybe they’re a watermelon flavored sno-cone.  A delicious summer treat for sneakerheads, the Zoom Hyperfuse Low ‘EYBL’ should hit select Nike Basketball retailers some time before the conclusion of the league finals, and you can see more images when you click on the jump below. Thanks to fatboykickz.

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Nike’s hybrid theory: take a time-honored classic, adjust the tooling just a bit throw in some new-age technology, tweak the name a bit, and release it as a ‘new shoe’. For some shoes, the formula seems to wore (see: Air Max JR). For others, it’s one that’s best kept under wraps (see: Air Max-A-Lot). The upcoming Flight Maestro Plus has yet to release, but the scrutiny begins now; adapting the classic design of the Nike Air Maestro, the Flight Maestro Plus now features a visible Max Air at the heel and a re-done upper with details taken from the original, like the perforated segment on the upper, the placement of the swoosh, and the stitch panels on the heel/ankle. Four colorways of the Flight Maestro Plus are set to release – Black/White,  a NY Knicks inspired combination, White/Black/Red, and a Grey/Black/Blue – but where’s Scottie Pippen’s All-Star colorway? Check out the four upcoming colorways below and let us know what you think of this new ‘hybrid’ design. via CK.

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Jordan Brand recently released the ‘College Blue’ colorway of the Jordan 6-17-23, and it’s been made rather loud and clear that as long as a colorway is executed correctly, the shoe will look nice. The Jordan 6-17-23, like many previous Jordan Brand hybrid shoes, received its fair share of criticisms since it first released earlier this year, but the opinions have changed over time as the color-blocking on the releases began to make more ‘sense’. Like the recently released White/Black-College Blue releases, this upcoming Black/Varsity Red-Cement Grey colorway is done perfectly, bringing out the best in the design concept – a little bit of VI, a little bit of XVII. These are set to release during the second weekend of the month of June so take a look at these new detailed images below and let us know what you think of the colorway. via mita-sneakers.

Jordan 6-17-23
Black/Varsity Red-Cement Grey
428817-003
06/11/2011
$145

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Sneaker customizer NASHMONEY is known around the globe for his crazy one-off designs and more recently collaborative releases with major brands, and his latest work manages to combine the two.  NASH had submitted a white Nike Air Force 1 for the Havana Club’s Inspired Ingenuity design competition, its sole routed to make room for a tweeter for his ‘sneaker speakers‘.  And it looks like that groundbreaking work caught the eye of a couple of other entities with close ties to street level beats, and the rest, as they say, is history.  You can also call it the NASH x MF Doom sneaker speakers, a pair of Puma Giant Suede lowtops that integrate sick features like LED lighting and a custom amp enclosure.  This crossover project has to be one of the more interesting collaborations we’ve seen here on Sneaker News, so click through to see more before they hit the cover of Sneaker Freaker issue 21.

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The Air Jordan VI ‘Infrared’ has been a trending topic here on Sneaker News, as we now get a look at hip-hop star J. Cole wearing the 2010 Retro release during his appearance at the 2011 BET Awards Nominees Announcement event. Just yesterday we saw UK-based rapper Tinie Tempah wear the Black colorway from the Infrared Pack, and prior to that, we showed you the unreleased 2000 Sample version of the Air Jordan VI ‘Infrared’, which featured the scorching hot red pigment used on the majority of the midsole as well as on the Nike Air stitching on the heel. J. Cole’s no stranger to Air Jordans either, because we’ve seen him rock Jays plenty of times (the most recent being the Black/Cement III just two weeks ago). Check out j. Cole’s sneakers below and let us know what you think.

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Save the upcoming Prince Pack, all of its high-profile collaborative releases are Asia exclusives, so will the new Reebok Insta Pump Fury pictured above hit US retailers?  We sure hope so, because its dope black, white and Cherry colorway would be a welcome addition to the summer catalog.  And given Reebok’s rival status with Nike in the early and mid ’90s, its surprising that this un-Infrared colorway didn’t pop up during the two companies’ arms race, but we’re fine with them coming out soon as a totally new look.  Click through to see more angles and stick with Sneaker News for word on a possible US release date.  via atmos.

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Hyperdunk + Hyperfuse? Here’s a look at the upcoming Nike Zoom Hyperforce, which features a seamless Hyperfuse upper with Flywire panels on the upper. Nike’s two keynote technological advancements that emphasize the positive capabilities of a lightweight construction converge on the Hyperforce, which features Zoom Air cushioning and a herringbone traction. The Hyperforce also features a super-high pointed tongue and a unique perforated side-panel by the ankle to give the shoe a sleek appeal. Given the name ‘Hyperforce’, is this shoe designed for the agile big-man, or will it be an all-purpose, all-style shoe? Check out the five upcoming colorways after the jump and let us know what you think. via CK.

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Are these the nicest canvas sneakers to drop in all of 2011?  The Nike Tennis Classic AC Premium looks quite nice in two of the simplest colorways imaginable thanks to a few key details.  First off, the scarlet foxing adds a distinguished air to black and white canvas uppers, where tonal eyelet rings and laces keep things clean.  Add in a caramel brown leather tongue tag with reference to the ‘Grass x Clay’ inspiration for this pack on the reverse, and you’ve got another excellent option for casual summer footwear.  Click through to see more of both pairs and grab yours directly from Nike Sportswear’s 21 Mercer flagship in New York starting Saturday or cop a pair right now from an NSW retailer on eBay.

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The model that Charles Barkley most recently wore fifteen years ago as a member of the Phoenix Suns is finally ready for a retail release.  Have a look at the Nike Air Max CB34, Sir Charles’ signature sneaker for the 1995-96 season and into the ’96 Olympic Games in Atlanta where he led Dream Team II in scoring, rebounding and shooting percentage.  This is the colorway Barkley wore during Suns home games at the America West Arena and makes for an interesting alternative to the other white sneakers from which you can choose this summer.  To see more of the OG ‘Home’ Air Max CB34s, click on the jump below, and then head over to a NSW retailer like Premier or grab yourself a pair now on eBay.

Nike Air Max CB34
White/Varsity Purple-Black-Orange Blaze
414243-100

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Boston-based boutique Bodega celebrated its fifth anniversary this past Friday the 13th, so they decided to incorporate the concept of luck in designing this new collaboration with Nike Sportswear.  The Bodega x Nike Footscape Woven Chukka ‘Night Cat’ brings together a variety of brown shades on a slightly reconstructed silhouette that features neoprene around the ankle area.  A scant 350 pairs will be available at BDGA and through their e-store starting Saturday, May 28th, and you can see more of those plus the other two Footscapes set to hit Tier Zero retailers, all when you click on the jump below.

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The latest Nike Zoom Kobe VI is based on a premise that if enacted through the use of a time machine, could have torn the universe asunder just a month ago.  The ‘Draft Day’ Zoom Kobe VI commemorates Kobe Bryant being drafted 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, a pick that had it stood, would have changed the course of the league for the next fifteen years.  But as it happened, Kobe was traded to the Lakers for Vlade Divac and some change, so barring some incredible breakthrough in physics, we won’t be seeing that scenario play itself out any time soon.  The Draft Day ZK6, on the other hand, will be hitting select Nike Basketball retailers on May 26th but you can already grab yours today from shaolin8 on eBay.

Nike Zoom Kobe VI
White/Black-Chlorine-Orion Blue
429659-102

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The Air Force 1 Premium stands to be Nike Sportswear’s single biggest denim sneaker release in May 2011, but is it the best?  Check out this impressive new Nike Air Max Light that looks to have been done with a very similar material as the AF1s.  They come off quite differently, though, thanks to the omission of Metallic Bronze stitching in favor of a clean tonal look that feels even crisper thanks to white hits on the sockliner and midsole.  Click through to get a better look and let us know how these compare to the upcoming ‘Denim’ AF1 Low and the black denim Air Max Light that just touched down, and if you’re feelin’ this pair of AM Lights, grab yours from the only place that sells ‘em: Britain’s JD Sports.

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