In 2012, Nike Basketball will raise the bar in basketball performance technology by releasing the Nike LeBron 9 P.S. Elite – the second overall installment of the Nike LeBron 9 featuring prime cuts of design concept and performance engineering. While sneakerheads were surely excited for the upcoming release, the $250 price-tag raised a few eye-brows, with the valid question of “Is $250 sneaker worth the money?” rising from the debate. $250 easily sets the mark as the highest priced Nike Basketball shoe of this generation, but the manufacturers are catering to two distinct demographics – the ballers and the sneakerheads. Would either sample group drop $250 on a pair of sneakers? That number is rather tame compared to the high-end football boots, which often run in the $400 range, but in America, it’s a figure we’re certainly not accustomed to (nor would anyone agree that basketball sneakers are ready to move up in price).

Sneaker News first showed you these interesting detailed images of this LeBron 9 shoe back in mid-September, referring to it a Prototype sample (likely the Elite). Now that we know that this is the majority of the structural building block of the P.S. Elite, we can now pinpoint some of the key design features. For one, the exposed and thicker Flywire cables are something new to the Nike LeBron line, but this could be just an endoskeleton of the shoe. Another noteworthy detail is the cushioning unit, which is neither full-length Max Air nor Max/Zoom combo, but what appears to be a full-length, basketball-specific, visible Zoom Air unit. The silhouette of the P.S. Elite is similar to that of the LeBron 9, but gone is the weave-wing panel, which has been replaced by ample Flywire-laden sheets that wrap the heel and up to the ankle. Take a look once more at the Nike LeBron 9 P.S. Elite below and let us know what you think of the shoe. via cork

UPDATE:  It has been brought to our attention that the prototype sample seen here is not actually the LeBron 9 P.S., but hopefully we may be seeing something similar a little further into the future.

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Hops, barley, water, yeast, grain; distillery — alcohol for the brain.  Nike SB has issued a variety of adult beverage-inspired releases over the years, ranging from unauthorized appropriations pulled from store shelves like the ‘Heineken’, to next year’s ‘Crown Royal’ design.  The latest model you could expect to end up in the Shoezeum’s ‘Break Room’ is this new Nike SB Dunk Mid Pro, nicknamed ‘Golden Hops’ for its use of a particular shade of golden brown on the suede underlay.  These don’t scream ‘booze’ in the same way as the ‘Newcastle’ Lows or even the ‘Tecate’ Highs, but rest assured they’ll be tapped out if you don’t act now and grab a pair from Nike SB stockists like Concepts.

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Among the staples in the Nike repertoire of colorways, ‘Cool Grey’ is one that you can pretty much count on for any of their marquee silhouettes. Thanks to the neutral nature of the mixture of tones we’ve yet to see a CG release really disappoint, and that’s including including this upcoming Nike LeBron 9 featuring the look. Showing up perhaps a tad bit darker than previous iterations of the ‘Cool Grey’ motif, this 2012 release introduces metallic silver onto the palette through portions of the paneling on the upper. Some white gets thrown in for the Swoosh and on sections of the outsole the complete the clean feel, resulting in another solid look for the Nike LeBron 9. Follow us after the jump for a better look and stick with Sneaker News for info on their US release. via LRJ23

Nike LeBron 9 ‘Cool Grey’
Cool Grey/White-Metallic Silver
469764-007

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What started off with a fat-tongued version of one of the original Nike Basketball shoes has resulted in an eclectic variety of Nike SB footwear, from the re-tooled SB Dunk to pro models for some of the most respected skaters of our generation. Here we have a thorough preview of what to expect from Nike SB footwear this Fall 2012 season (July, August, September); a plethora of Janoski Lows and Mids, Koston Ones, and Dunks in various heights will be available, but keep you eye out for the new SB P-Rod VI as well as the long-awaited sequel to the Zoom Team Edition – the Nike SB Zoom Team Edition 2. A few popular colorways will carry over to 2012 as well. We’ve got a complete monthly breakdown ahead so take a look and stick with Sneaker News for more Nike SB footwear updates. via N-SB.

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How could the retro release of the Air Jordan XI ‘Concord’ possibly get better? Well, how about encasing it in an incredible black wooden collector’s case complete with a large gold Jumpman etched into the boxtop? That’s exactly what arrived today, bringing some early holiday delight along with it. Inside the blacked-out box, a numbered seal indicates “1 of 23″, with a gold MJ thumb print to really make things official. The box’s first layer features a framed varsity-style Jumpman hoodie, lifting up to reveal the main event within – a crispy pair of 2011 Concords with the added bonus of a gold Jumpman-embroidered black towel, perfect for wiping down the patent leather once the shoes go into rotation. Unfortunately, this limited edition Holiday 2011 Pack will not be available for retail, but you can at least get a good look after the jump. Keep an eye out for your own pair of Air Jordan XI Concords this Friday, December 23rd when these undisputed classics make their long-awaited return to store shelves. Much thanks to the Jordan Brand family for dropping this down the chimney.

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In viewing the red and Volt-accented white pair we previewed last week here on Sneaker News, we remarked that the Nike Air Max+ 2012 offers unique colorway opportunities owing to its layered Hyperfuse construction and the latticework of intertwining layers.  Another prime example of how these advanced techniques result in novel approaches to sneaker design is pictured above in this new pair, a cotton candy colorup for ladies whose red/pink and bright blue sections come together to create a lovely violet shade.  Palettes like these, some of the more outrageous LeBron 9s and KD IVs, and some of Nike ACG’s recent standouts offer the same kind of vivid exuberance we came to associate with Nike’s early ’90s golden era; should we take impressive efforts like these as a sign of a renaissance to come?  Click through to see more angles and stick with Sneaker News for all the Air Max 2012 release dates.  via Sneaker Freaker

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After a considerable time off from basketball, would LeBron James be a bit rusty on the court? That didn’t seem to be the case for the defending Eastern Conference Champions who handily defeated the Orlando Magic in an intra-state pre-season game. LeBron took the court for 26 minutes sporting the White/Black-Sport Red ‘Home’ colorway of the Nike LeBron 9, one that was given a nickname of ‘Scarface’. The Nike LeBron 9 has experienced quite the unusual trajectory so far, with nine colorways and Nike iD availability releasing before the first NBA game. However, the popularity of LeBron’s kicks hasn’t waned a bit as each release was met with overall positive vibes, with the high-energy colorways disappearing quickly from the shelves. Check out LeBron James in his first on-court action of the 2011-12 season below and be sure to stick with Sneaker News for more NBA Feet features! via Yahoo!.

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There was a time when wearing white after Labor Day was a no-no, just as was mixing navy blue with black.  But with more and more people wearing dark rinse denims as upscale casual attire, they’re being paired with black shoes with greater frequency by the day.  The key is getting just the right amount of distance between the two disparate dark shades, and that’s something that Nike SB just nailed with their latest release.  The Nike SB Dunk Low Pro manages a sort of ‘Michigan Away’ look with navy blue suede laid over a black underlay, the Wolverines connection perhaps deepened by that latter material’s basketball-like pebbled texture.  They’re a reminder that Big Blue not wearing Swooshes is arguably more jarring than any combination of dark blue and black, and have arrived along with the other January 2012 Nike SB sneakers at select shops like CNCPTS.

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It took Gino Iannucci over a decade to earn a pro model that doesn’t even feature his name, but Paul Rodriguez took a more direct route to his Nike SB signature series.  Born one day after LeBron James and just before the start of 1985, P-Rod joined Swoosh skateboarding in 2004 and had his first sigs out on store shelves before he was legal to drink.  A little over half a decade later and the P-Rod series has evolved to an annual cycle not totally dissimilar from Nike Basketball’s ‘big three’ or the Air Max running series, his latest echoing the kind of subtle shapeshifting we’ve seen from the Zoom Kobe line in recent years.  The Nike SB Paul Rodriguez 6 is closer to the 5 than any other P-Rod is to its predecessor (save possibly the 2 and 2.5), a sleek yet formidable design that takes last year’s LunarLon-cushioned body and makes it more angular, especially thanks to the Huarache-like heel counter cutting into the side panel Swooshes.  These should hit retailers some time in the second half of next year, so click through to see five upcoming pairs and stick with Sneaker News for all the P-Rod 6 SB release dates.  via N-SB.

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You might’ve spotted the new Jordan Brand box-tags when we gave you another at the Air Jordan IV White/Cement last week, but during a special Nike/Jordan footwear event in China, a look at the new packaging was presented during the media presentation. Gone is the Black/Grey box (one that’s been with us since 2006) and arriving in 2012 is a new era of how to store your kicks neatly in your closet; it has a tonal black outer facade with an oversized Jumpman logo on the upper face. The box-tags will also be different as well, with three different colors denoting Training (Blue), Lifestyle (Red), and Basketball (Red) performance. Check out the extra shot below and stick with Sneaker News for more updates on Jordan Brand’s planning for 2012. via hoopchina.

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The ‘Memphis Express‘ and ‘Memphis Blues‘ PE colorways of the Nike Zoom Rookie were special requests made by Penny Hardaway – he wanted matching shoes for his upcoming charity exhibition basketball games. Those 1-of-1 PEs are in the sole ownership of Penny, but the most recent Zoom Rookie PE, a White/Silver pair worn by Penny during an All-Star charity game in China (which featured Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman), was given to a lucky spectator. This latest Penny-only PE features a White Foamposite upper with matte silver pods with a translucent outsole. To top it off, the Zoom Rookie PEs were autographed by Penny himself! Check out the extra shots of the White/Silver PE after the jump and let us know if you’d like for this colorway to release. via hk-kicks.

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They might not have as many models in the vault or narratives connecting those classics to today’s market, but Bodega’s Saucony Elite releases have managed to capture a corner of the sneakerhead market even during a time when there are more retro runners available than ever before.  How did they manage to carve such a niche without most of the cutting edge gimmicks and hype?  Sheer quality.  All of the Saucony Elite releases have featured lush suede in rich yet rustic colors, and this new Saucony Elite Master Control is no exception.  Split between glass blue and brick red with just a hint of rusty orange on the heel, these Master Control lowtops nail the vintage look with a cream colored midsole and gum bottoms, and suggest that this top-tier collaborative capsule has enough momentum to keep going strong into the next year.  Click through to see more angles and stick with Sneaker News for updates on this February 2012 release.  via CT

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