Just when you thought Nike Sportswear would be content adding new materials and colorways to itsever growing VacTech collection, they go and add another of its best loved classics to the mix. The latest to join the fray is also the oldest, the Nike Blazer Mid VT looking as solid as you’d expect given the silo’s lengthy track record of excelling in suede. This Anthracite edition is considerably darker than the Medium Grey vacuum-sealed looks we’ve seen from the Dunk and Air Force 1; which of these old school basketball kicks works best with the VT theme? Click through so you can see more of the Anthracite Blazer Mid VT, then pick up a pair from NSW spots including asphaltgold.

Nike Blazer Mid VT
371761-088

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You’ve never had a true New York City experience until you’ve almost been run over by a yellow taxi cab. For opposing teams coming into Madison Square Garden, we’d like to introduce you to the Knicks’ newest taxi cab – Carmelo Anthony. We can’t help but compare this brightly-colored new edition of the Melo M8 to one of the signature icons of NYC, but although taxi cabs are known to be reckless and rough around the edges, Carmelo and the Melo M8 is a smooth ride from beginning to end. These are set to drop this December, so check out the extra shots below and let us know what you think of the new Jordan Melo M8 ‘Taxi’.

Jordan Melo M8
Anthracite/White-Varsity Maize
469786-008
12/2011
$135

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The Air Jordan X Retro is already confirmed for a January 2012 release, but it appears that Jordan Brand is looking to re-introduce the sneaker in another light. Here’s a look at the Jordan X Auto Clave, which features a tumbled leather upper matched with the Jordan-specific auto-claved outsole that we first saw with the Jordan V.2 Grown; given that the outsole of the Air Jordan X is one of its marquee details, replacing it is somewhat of an ambitious move, although it’s quite clear that low-profile and slim appeal of the AC outsole matches well with the boot-like detailing of the Air Jordan X. Expect these to hit Jordan Brand retailers this January in two Bulls-inspired colorways at a price of $110.

Jordan X Auto Clave
Varsity Red/White
487225-601
01/2012
$110

Black/Varsity Red
487225-001
01/2012
$110

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The Latin phrase ‘Tabula Rasa’ translates to ‘blank slate’, a reminder of a time when Romans took notes on wax slates, erasing them by melting the surface back to its pristine state.  That’s pretty much what adidas Originals is doing with the Consortium sublabel after having tossed it into the kindling not too long after that insane aZX Collection, and Three Stripes has applied the concept of renewal to its relaunch.  The adidas Consortium ‘Tabula Rasa’ pack offers whited-out takes on five of the slightly lesser known vintage silos, each pair of the BC lowtop, Decade Hi, Match Play court shoe, Pro Shell and ZX 500 Runners and applies premium snow-driven suede and nubuck to their classic lines.  Click through to see the adidas Originals design team explain how this pack came to be, then look for them at select retailers like SNS.

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Ready for things to get hairy out at your favorite retail spots?  We’re less than 48 hours away from the commencement of the biggest shopping period of the year, set off like a firecracker with sales crazy enough to get even the laziest consumers out of bed and into line before the Harbaugh Bowl goes final.  If you’re in LA or Tokyo and sneakers are are the top of your list for day-after-Thanksgiving shopping, consider the deceptively named Brooklyn Projects, who’re offering a raffle ticket for every purchase on the 25th.  Giveaway items include a Nike SB backpack in a golden yellow with black and red accents that’s vaguely reminiscent of Dom Deluca’s ‘Reign in Blood’ Dunk Highs SB from earlier this year.  That bag is an unreleased sample that’ll never make it to retail, but might the Eric Koston-signed Kobe x Koston Lakers-leaning basketball jersey be more valuable?  Add in a third mystery item to be revealed in the store on Friday, and you’ve got all the makings of a must visit; will you adjust your shopping plans to include Brooklyn Projects?

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Nike Sportswear is known for a similar mixed blessing with some of its classic running shoes for women, and now Jordan Brand furthers its collection of kicks we wish could have seen a full size run. The Air Jordan III GS ‘Grey Flip’ offers a steely tonal take on the inverted Elephant print look, this pair the coolest color scheme of them all thanks to nearly white linings and vivid blue accents that make them look practically frozen. Adults will have to wait until the ‘Black Flip’ hits retail a week after the ‘Black Cement’ retros drop this Friday, but kids, preschool and toddler sizes of the ‘Grey Flips’ are available now at JB spots including CitySole.

Air Jordan III GS ‘Grey Flip’
Cool Grey/Blue Glow-Neutral Grey
441140-015

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It was recently confirmed that Chris Paul and his three superstar pals LeBron, Dwyane, and Carmelo would participate in a four-city exhibition game tour called the Google+ Homecoming Tour, which features All-Star Game-like showdowns in the four home-town cities of the players. It’s during these games that all four aforementioned players show off their new signature shoes, like Chris Paul’s Jordan CP3.V, which is currently slated for a January 2012 release. But wouldn’t it be nice for CP3 to wear some sick Air Jordan Player Exclusives to his homecoming to New Orleans? Here’s a suggestion, CP3: Break out these Air Jordan Vs. It’s got the Home White upper with a Teal/Gold midsole and your jersey number stitched on the upper, so it’s perfect for the game (going down on Saturday, December 3rd, at the University of New Orleans). Take a look at these Air Jordan Vs after the jump and if you want to be like CP3 and wear them yourself, hit up the auction from bugginoutboy on eBay.

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Michael Jordan’s career with basketball can be broken down to a number of phases. There was the three-peat phase, the baseball stage, the player/coach stage, and team owner stage, but due to the sheer age and limited amount of visual pieces floating around, we don’t often get a chance to look at the ‘Rookie stage’. Michael’s 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.4 steals is undoubtedly the greatest rookie campaign by a guard in NBA history, and ranking fourth in the league in scoring meant a nice invite to the NBA All-Star Game. This is where these jaw-dropping, mind-blowing Air Jordan artifacts come in; you’re looking at a game-worn AND autographed pair of the original Air Jordan 1, used during the 1985 NBA All-Star Game. How’d is it up for sale now? The owner of the shoes has quite the spellbinding story (well, not exactly riveting stuff, but definitely an interesting read), so check out the full story and images of the sneakers below and head to greyflannelauctions to get your bid in.

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Kevin Durant is undoubtedly the most versatile player in the NBA. His ability to play multiple positions on the court is mirrored by the all-new Adaptive Fit system, which permits the Zoom-cushioned Nike Zoom KD IV to be a sneaker for players of all positions. Kevin Durant’s game is that of natural leadership and carrying the bulk of the load (two straight scoring titles and delving further into the NBA Playoffs every sesason is proof of that), but we’d like to remind you that Durant’s got a playful side about him – he’s just 22 years old! He’s active on Twitter, meaning he’s accessible to the masses, and he’s got no issues with donning gaudy chains and tribal gear as one of the original Nike ‘Hyperizers’ – even his Zoom KD III was partly designed after his love of video games.

And so, with the Nike Zoom KD IV scheduled for a wide release this December 3rd, Nike has teamed up with Hasbro to create a special pair of the Nike Zoom KD IV inspired by one of the generation-defining toys in this era – Nerf. The spongy toys that ran rampantly throughout the 1990′s returns alongside the Zoom KD IV, colored up in a high-energy assortment of neon tones and confetti-like detailing and packaged with a spongy Nerf mini-basketball with the box folding into a functional backboard and hoop. On the tongue you’ll see the classic Nerf logo as well as KD35 in the similar typefont for even more of a playful vibe. We’ve got a detailed look at the Nike Zoom KD IV ‘Nerf’ below, so check ‘em out and stick with Sneaker News for more updates and release info for undoubtedly the most exciting Nike Zoom KD release yet.

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When news of the NBA Lockout began to surface, some NBA players wasted no time in accepting contract offers from professional teams in the Chinese Basketball Association. It gave these out-of-work players a chance to shine brightly on a stage that is perhaps equally as energetic as the one in the United States, and given that the NBA still hasn’t scheduled a tip-off, the move to the other side of the hemisphere, in retrospect, was a shrewd move. Players like J.R. Smith, Wilson Chandler, and Yi Jianlian (who felt right at home) have been sporting some sick sneakers during the games, like the Air Jordan III ‘Doernbecher’ (courtesy of Chandler), the Air Jordan III ‘True Blue’ (Smith’s doing), and the Air Jordan XIII ‘Bulls’, rocked by former NBA-er Gerald Green. Check out a quick overview of the sneakers spotted around the Chinese Basketball Association and let us know who rocked the best heat!

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Which Nike LeBron 9 colorway is more Jay-Z – the ‘Watch The Throne’ Tour PE, or the Blackouts? HOV’s all-black-everything tagline has maintained relevance in his fashion repertoire for a quite a while, as he’s opted for all-black Timberland boots for most of the Watch The Throne Tour performances. LeBron recently tweeted a picture of himself wearing the WTT PEs, but the Blackouts would’ve been just fine as well – we’re certain Jay-Z would’ve approved too. The Nike LeBron 9 ‘Blackout’ will officially hit stores tomorrow, before the Thanksgiving holiday, so check out the new images below and pick up a pair now for under retail from luxurylook4less on eBay.

Nike LeBron 9
Black/Black-Anthracite
469764-001
11/23/11
$170

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If you’re looking for some new threads to match your upcoming pick-up of the Air Jordan III Black/Cement (if you’re passing on this release, please explain yourself), check out this new set of graphic t-shirts designed by The Freshnes. There are five sick selections to choose from, like the a humanoid Air Jordan III shooting a fadeaway jumper and some more simpler references, like ‘OG3′s’ or the notation of the shoe’s official colorway. Check out the collection below and don’t miss out because The Freshnes is offering 40% exclusively to Sneaker News readers (coupon code is after the jump)!

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